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A 
 
 New Difcovery 
 
 OF *A 
 
 Vaft Country in America, 
 
 Extending above Four Thoufand Miles, 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 New France and New Mexico j 
 
 WITH A 
 
 Defcription of the Great Lakes , Cata¬ 
 racts, (Rivers, ^Plants , and Jnimals. 
 
 Alfo, the Manners'Cufloms, and Languages of the fe- 
 veral Native Indians • and the Advantage of Com¬ 
 merce with thole different Nations. 
 
 W I T H A 
 
 CONTINUATION, 
 
 Giving an ACCOUNT of the 
 
 Attempts ol the Sieur De la SALLE upon the 
 Mines of St. Earbe, See. The Taking of 
 Quebec by the Englijh ; With the Advantages 
 of a Shorter Cut to China and Japan. 
 
 
 Both Parts Illuftrated with Maps , and Figures, 
 and Dedicated to His Majdiy K. William. 
 
 
 By L. Hennepin, now Refident in Hollands 
 
 
 To which are added. Several Ne ir Difcoverics in Ncrtk- 
 Amcrica , not publirti’d in the French Edition. 
 
 
 LONDON , Printed for M Bentley , J, Ton/on , 
 
 H. Bonwick , T. Goodwin , and S. Manjkip. 1698.* 
 
 
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T O 
 
 His moft Excellent Majefly 
 
 william in. 
 
 King of Great Britain, &c. 
 
 S I 
 
 T His Account of the greatest 
 Discovery that has been 
 made in this Age, of feveral 
 Large Countries , fituate between 
 the Frozen Sea and Flew Mexico , I make 
 bold humbly to Dedicate to your Ma* 
 jelly. Having liv’d Eleven Years in 
 the Northern America , I have had an 
 Opportunity to penetrate farther into 
 that Unknown Continent than any 
 before me j wherein 1 have dilcover’d 
 New Countries, which may be jullly 
 call’d the Delights of that New World, 
 
 A 5 They 
 
To the KING. 
 
 They are larger than Europe, water d 
 with an infinite number of fine Ri¬ 
 vers, the Courfe of one of which is 
 above Boo Leagues long, (lock d 
 with all forts of harmlefs Beafts, and 
 other Things neceffiry for the Con- 
 veniency of Life ; and blefs d with fo 
 mild a Temperature of Air, that 
 nothing is there wanting to lay the 
 Foundation of one of the Greateft 
 Empires in the World. 
 
 l fhould think my felf very happy, 
 and fufficiently rewarded for my La¬ 
 borious Travels, if they could any 
 ways contribute to make thole Coun¬ 
 tries better known, under the Glo¬ 
 rious Name of Your Majefty j and if 
 through Your Royal Prote&ion I 
 might ferve as Guide to your Subjects, 
 to carry into thofe Parts the Light of 
 the Gofpel, and the Fame of your He- 
 roical Virtues: My Name would be 
 blefs’d amongll thofe numerous Na¬ 
 tions, who live without Laws and Re¬ 
 ligion, only becaufe no body endea¬ 
 vours 
 
To the K JNG. 
 
 vours to mftru& them ; and they 
 would have the Happinefs of being 
 converted to the Chriftian Faith, and 
 the Advantage of feeing at the fame 
 time, their Fiercenefs and rude Man¬ 
 ners foftned and civiliz’d, by the Com¬ 
 merce of a Polite and Generous Na¬ 
 tion, rul’d by the moft Magnani^ 
 mous King in the World. 
 
 This Enterprize is worthy of Your 
 Majefty, who never frames but No¬ 
 ble Defigns, and purfues them with 
 fuch a Prudence and Vigour, that they 
 are always crown’d with a Glorious 
 Succels. 
 
 I dare not prefume to give here 
 a particular Account of what Your 
 Majefty’s unparallell’d Valour and 
 Prudence have done for the Felicity of 
 England , Scotland , and Ireland , and the 
 United TroYnces; the Happinefs of your 
 Kingdoms, and the Mildnefs of Your 
 Majefty’s Government, proclaim that 
 Truth to all the World, as alfo the 
 Tranquillity of the United Nether - 
 
 A 4 lands , 
 
To the KING . 
 
 lands, amidft a dreadful War, which 
 ravages moft Parrs of Europe. Your 
 Majefty drove back a formidable 
 Enemy, who had penetrated into 
 their very Heart, and keeps him fince 
 at fuch a diftance, that they have no¬ 
 thing to fear from his Ambitious De- 
 figns. 
 
 The reft of Europe is no lefs inde¬ 
 bted to Your Majefty than your own 
 Kingdoms and the United Netherlands ; 
 for Your Majefty expoles every Year 
 your Life, at the Head of your Ar¬ 
 mies and theirs, to proted their Coun¬ 
 try and preferve their Liberties from 
 a fatal fnvafion. The Allies know, and 
 own with Gratitude, 1 hat Your Ma- 
 jefty’s Prudence, and the great Re- 
 iped which fo many Princes have for 
 your Perfonal Merit, are the only Ce¬ 
 ment that was able to maintain the 
 Great Alliance, into which Europe is 
 enter’d for its Prefervation. 
 
 Your Majefty’s Glorious Atchieve* 
 ments being a Theme above my Pen, 
 
 i 
 
To the KING. 
 
 I muft not prefume to fpeak of them; 
 but my Religion obliges me to men¬ 
 tion what I have feen with my own 
 Eyes, and publifh to all the World, 
 That I have feen Your Majefty 'Pre- 
 ferving, with the utmoft Care, Our 
 Omrchs in the Netherlands , while 
 Others , who, by a Principle of Con- 
 fcitnce , were oblig’d to Protedt 
 them, left them expos d to the Info- 
 lence of their Soldiers, violating in 
 the face of the Sun the Relpedt all 
 Chriftians owe them. 
 
 It is this great Generality and Equi¬ 
 ty of your Majefty, as much as your 
 other incomparable Exploits, which 
 have gain’d you the Efteem and the 
 Hearts of all Chriftian Princes, one 
 alone excepted ; and have engag’d 
 the King of Spain my lawful Sove¬ 
 reign, the molt Catholick Prince in 
 the World, to make fo ftridfc an Ah 
 fiance with Your Majefty. 
 
 That Great Monarch being tjoo re¬ 
 mote from the Netherlands to defend 
 
 his 
 
To the KING. 
 
 his Dominions, has found in Your 
 Majefty a Valiant and Trufty De¬ 
 fender; who being feconded by the 
 Invincible EleCtor of ftavaria, pro¬ 
 tects the Spanijh Dominions againft a 
 Prince, who makes all Poffible Ef¬ 
 forts to deprive his Catholick Majefty 
 thereof, notwithftanding their Proxi¬ 
 mity of Blood, and his profefling the 
 fame Religion. 
 
 His Catholick Majefty having 
 therefore fo often experienc’d, that 
 Your Majefty’s Royal Word is more 
 firm than other Princes Treaties and 
 Solemn Oaths, could not alfo but 
 leave his Dominions to your Dif- 
 pofal ; fhewing by that unparalleli’d 
 Piece of Truft, how much he relies 
 upon Your Majefty’s Honour, and 
 what Efteem he has for your Royal 
 Vertues, which are mix’d with no 
 manner of Imperfections. 
 
 1 don’t queftion but many, out of 
 Envy or Malice, will blame me for 
 entring into Your Majefty’s Service ; 
 
 but 
 
To the KING. 
 
 but I care very little for what they fay, 
 fince it is by the Permiflion of his Ca- 
 tholick Majefty, the EleCtor of Bava¬ 
 ria, and the Superiours of my Order. 
 1 defign to keep the Integrity of my 
 Faith, and ferve faithfully the Great 
 Monarch who has honour’d me with 
 his Royal Protection. I owe my 
 Services to the Generous Protestor of 
 my Country, and of our Altars, who 
 betides has to kindly receiv'd me at 
 his Court, while other Princes neglect¬ 
 ed me, or forbad me their Pretence. It 
 is then out of Gratitude, that I devote 
 my felf to Your Majetly’s Service, 
 and in order to contribute to the 
 Convertion of the teveral Nations i 
 have difcover’d, and to the Advan¬ 
 tage of your Subjects, if they will 
 improve this Opportunity, and make 
 Plantations in a Country, which is fo 
 fertile as to afford Two Crops every 
 Year. fbwp f n c 
 
 The Gentleman with whom I be¬ 
 gan this Dilcovery, had form’d great 
 
 Deiigns, 
 
To the KIN G. 
 
 Defigns , and efpecially upon the 
 Mines of St. (Barbe in New Mexico ; 
 but his Tragical Death prevented 
 their execution. 
 
 I humble befeech Your Majefty 
 to accept this Publick Mark of my 
 Refpeft and Gratitude ; having pray’d 
 the Almighty for the Prefervation of 
 Your Sacred Majefty s Perfon, and 
 the Profperity of your Reign, 1 beg 
 leave to fubfcribe my felf, with 
 all the Submiflion and Refpe<5t ima¬ 
 ginable, 
 
 S I R, 
 
 Your M A J E S T Y's 
 
 Moft Humble , moft Faithful , and 
 Moft Obedient Servant, 
 
 F. Louis Hennepin, 
 
 . MiJJionary tf^ecolhff. 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 I Prefent here the Reader with the Firfi 
 Part of the Account of the Voyage I 
 ntade from the Tear 1679, tat ^ e Tiir 1682, 
 in the Northern America 5 in which I dip 
 cover 1 d a Country , unknown before me, as 
 large or larger than Europe. I had revi¬ 
 ved long ago to oblige the Publicly with it 5 
 but my Resolution was prevented by fome 
 Reafons, which it would be too long tore- 
 late. 
 
 ’Tis true , I publijh'd part of it in the 
 Tear 1684, in my Account of Louifiana j 
 Printed at Paris by Order of the French 
 King 3 but 1 was then oblig'd to fay nothing 
 of the Courfeof the River Mefchafipi, from 
 the Mouth of the River of the Illinois down 
 to the Sea , for fear of difobliging M. la 
 Salle, with whem I began my Difcovery. 
 This Gentleman woud alone have the Glory 
 of having difeoverd the Courfe of that Ri. 
 ver : But when he heard that / had done 
 st two Tears before him , he could never for¬ 
 give me, tohugh , as I have faid , l was fo mo- 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 dejl as to publijh nothing of it. This is the 
 true caufe of his Malice againjl me, and of 
 all the barbarous Ufagc I have met with in 
 France , which they carry d fo far , as to ob¬ 
 lige the Marquis de Lou vois to command me 
 to depart the French King's Dominions 5 
 which I did willingly, tho I faw fufficient 
 Grounds to believe this Order was forg'd 
 after Monfiettr de Louvois was dead. 
 
 The pretended Reafons of that violent 
 Order, were, becaufe 1 refufed to return in - 
 America, where I bad been already Ele¬ 
 ven Tears 5 tho* the particular Laws of our 
 Order oblige none of us to go beyond-Sea a- 
 gainjl their Will. I would have however 
 return'd very willingly, had I not f efficient¬ 
 ly 4 nown the Malice of M. la Salle, who 
 wou'd have expos’d me, to make me perifh, 
 as he did one of the Men who accompany d 
 me in my Difcovery. God knows, that ] 
 am forry for his unfortunate Death j but the 
 Judgments of the Almighty arc always jujl 5 
 for that Gentleman was kill'd by one of his 
 own Men, who were at laji fenfible that he 
 expos’d them to vifible Dangers, without a- 
 ny Necejjity , and for his private D figns. 
 
 Iprejentcd fome time after a Petition to 
 the French King, while he was cmamp U 
 at Harlemont /«-Brabant, f tting forth my 
 Services, and the fnfujlice of my Enemies , 
 but that Prince had fo many Afairs , 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 tha^ I fuppofe , they hinder'd him from con - 
 (idering my Petition j and fo I con’d obtain 
 no Satisfaction. I continu’d fince at Gofle- 
 liers and Aeth '•> and iujl as they were rat¬ 
 ing another Perfection againjl me , the 
 Divine Providence brought me acquainted 
 with Mr. Blathwait, Secretary of War to 
 his Majejiy William the Third, King of 
 Great Britain $ who , by Order of His Ma- 
 jejty , wrote a Letter to Father Payez, Ge¬ 
 neral Commijfary of our Order at Louvain, 
 to defire him to give me leave to go Miffio¬ 
 nary into America, and to continue in one 
 of the United Provinces , till 1 had dige¬ 
 sted into Order the Memoires of my Dif- 
 covery. This General Commijfary being infor¬ 
 med that the King of Spain, and the FJe- 
 3 or of Bavaria confented that I fhou’d enter 
 into the Service of His Majejiy of Great 
 Britain, granted me what / defied, and 
 fent me to Antwerp, to take there in our 
 Convent a Lay-Habit 5 and from thence 1 
 went into Holland ^having receiv’d fomc Mo¬ 
 ney from Mr. Hill, by Order of Mr. Blath¬ 
 wait. 
 
 I dejigndto live at Amfterdam/?r feme 
 time $ but feme Reafons obligd me to go to 
 Utrecht, where I finijh’d this Firjl Volume 
 of the Account of my Difcovery 5 which 1 
 hope will prove advantageous to Europe 
 
 . ' and 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 and efpeciaUy to the Englifh Nation , to 
 whofe Service I entirely devote my felf. 
 
 I cannot Efficiently acknowledge the Fa¬ 
 vours of Mr. Blathwait, who has fo gene- 
 rotijly provided for my Subffence , and did 
 me the Honour to prefent me to His Maje- 
 Jiy before his Departure for England. I ant 
 aljo very much oblig'd to the Duke of Or¬ 
 mond , and the Earl of Athlone, fir the 
 Civilities I have receiv’d from them : They 
 have often admitted me to their Table, and 
 granted feveral Protections in Flanders up¬ 
 on my Recommendation. 
 
 I hope the Reader will be pleas’d with the 
 Account of my Difcovery j not for the Finc- 
 nefs of the Language , and the Noblenefs of 
 the Exprejjion , but only upon Account of 
 its Importance , and of the Sincerity where¬ 
 with ’tis written. The Bookseller has added 
 a Map, and fome other Cutts , which are an 
 Ornament to the Book.-, and very ufeful for 
 the better underfunding of it. 
 
 THE 
 
Contents of the Chapters. 
 
 T HE Occafon of undertaking this Voyage. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The Motives which engag’d the Author of this Difcovery 
 to undertake the Voyage , whereof you have here a Re¬ 
 lation. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 7 he Means by which the Author accuftonul himfelf to en¬ 
 dure the Travail and Fatigue of his laborious MiJJion. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 A Defcription of thofe Camus that, they make ufe of in the 
 Summer-time in America, for the Conveniency of tra¬ 
 velling. 
 
 C II A P. IV. 
 
 Other Motives that induc’d the Author more forcibly to 
 undertake this Difcovery. 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 A Defcription of Fort Catarokouy , call'd fince Fo, t 
 Frontenac. 
 
 C H A P. VI. 
 
 A Defcription of fome Frejh-water Lakes, the gresteft and 
 the plea!ant ell in the Uni-verfe. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 A Defcription of the Fall of the River Niagara , that is 
 to be Jctn betwixt the Lake Ontario and that of Erie. 
 
 CHAP, VIII. 
 
 A Defcription of the Lake Erie. 
 
 C H_ A P. IX. 
 
 A Defcription cf the Lake Huron. 
 
 C H A P. X. 
 
 A Defcription of the Lake call'd by the Savages Ulinouack, 
 and by the French, Illinois. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 A Jhort Defcription of the Upper Lake. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 What is the Predominant Genius of the Inhabitants of 
 
 Canada. a C H A P. 
 
/ Contents of the Chapters. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 A Defcription of my firfi Imbarkmcnt in a Canow at 
 Quebec, the Capital City of Canada, being bound for 
 the Soutb-Wefi of New-France, or Canada. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 A Defcription of my fecond Imbarkmcnt at Fort Fron- 
 tenack, in a Brigantine upon the Lake Ontario or* 
 Frontenac. 
 
 CHA P. XV. 
 
 An Account of the Embajfe to the Iroquefe Tfbnnon- 
 touans. 
 
 C Ii A P. XVI. 
 
 A Defcription of a Ship of Sixty Tuns, 'which we built near 
 the Streights of the Lake Erie , during the Winter and 
 
 • Spring of the Tear 1679. 
 
 C H A P. XVII. 
 
 The Author s Return to’Fort Frontenac. 
 
 C H AT. XVIII. 
 
 An Account tf our Second Embarkment from Fort 
 
 Frontenac. 
 
 CHAP. XIX 
 
 An Account of our Third Embarkment from the Mouth of 
 the Lake Erie. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 An Account of what hapned in our Pajfage from the Lake 
 Erie, unto the Lake Huron. 
 
 C H A P. XXI. 
 
 An Account of our Navigation on the Lake Huron to Mif- 
 filimakinak. 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 An Account of our Sailing from Miffilimakinak, into 
 the Lake of the Illinois. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 An Account of our Embarkment in Canows to continue 
 our Dijcauery, from the Bay o/Puans, to the Miami’s 
 on the Lake of the Illinois. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 A Dejcriptton of the Calumet, or Great Pipe. 
 
 ^ CHAP. 
 
Contents of the Chapters. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 A Continuation of our Difcovery $ with an Account of our 
 Navigation to the farther End uf the Lake of the Illi¬ 
 nois in our Camus. 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 An Account if the Peace made between us and the Out- 
 touagami’s. 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 An Account of the Building uf a Fort and a Houfe near tbi 
 River of Miamis. 
 
 CHAP. XXVIII. 
 
 A Continuation of our Voyage from Fort Miamis to the 
 River of the Illinois. 
 
 C H A P. XXIX. 
 
 An Account of our Embankment at the Head of the River 
 of the Illinois. 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 A Defcription of the Hunting of the wild Bulls and Cows, 
 by the Savages 5 Of the bignefs of thoje Beafls ; and 
 of the Advantagei and Improvements that may be fnade 
 of the Plain where they Pafture ; and of the Woods 
 thereabouts. 
 
 C H A P. XXXI. 
 
 An Account of our Arrival to the Country of the Illinois, 
 one of the mofi numerous Nations of the Savages of 
 America. 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 An Account of what hapned to us while we remain’d 
 among the Illinois, till the Building of a New Fort. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 Reflexions upon the Temper and Manners of the Illi¬ 
 nois, and the little Difpofltion they have to embrace 
 Chriflianity. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 An Account of the Building of a New Fort on the River of 
 the Illinois, named by the Savages Checagon, and by 
 us Fort Crevecoeur j as alfo a Barque to go down the 
 River Mefchafipi. 
 
 a z 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Contents of the Chapters. 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 Containing an Account of what was tranfaided at Fort 
 Crevecoeur before M. la Sailed return to Fort Fronte- 
 nac j and the Infiruclions we receiv'd fi'om a Savage 
 concerning the River Mefchafipi. 
 
 CHAP. XXXVI. 
 
 The Author fets out from Fort Crevecceur* to continue 
 his Voyage . 
 
 _ CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 Toe Courfe of the River Mefchafipi from the Mouth of 
 the River of the Illinois, to the Sea ; which the Author 
 did not think fit to publifi in his Louisiana ; with 
 
 <m Account of the Reafons he had to undertake that 
 
 Dijcovery . 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 -.A Continuation of cur Voyage on the River Mefchafipi 
 _ r _ CH A p. XXXIX; 
 
 ReOjons which cblifd us ■ to return towards the Source of 
 
 2vardtbe Sea^^*^* ’ without going any father to- 
 CHAP. XL. 
 
 An Account of cur Departure from Koroa, to continue our 
 
 y oyage . 
 
 CHAP. XLI. 
 
 A particular Account of the Rher Mefchafipi; Of the 
 Country thro -which it flows ; and of the Mines of Copper 
 Lead, and Coals we dijcover d in our Voyage 
 
 . M ;,CHAP. XLir. " 
 
 Rung then inks of the Mefchafipi : of their Submillion 
 f the Difference tf Weir sLnZfZ 
 the Savages of Canada; and of the Difficulties Z 
 rather ImpoJJibthties attending tflei/converflon. * 
 
 CHAP. XLIII 
 
 An Account of the Ffary of,the Sturgeons ; and of the 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Contents of the Chapters. 
 
 CHAP. XLIV. 
 
 A jhort Account of the Rivers that fall Into the Mefcha- 
 fipi ; of the Lake of Tears ; of the Fall of St. Antho¬ 
 ny ; of the wild Oats of that Country ; and feveral 
 otbp' Circumfances of our Voyage. 
 
 CHAP. XLV. 
 
 Tlje Author and his Canon-Men are taken by the Savages, 
 who, after fever al Attempts upon their Lives , carry 
 them away with them into their Country above the Ri¬ 
 ver Mefchafipi. 
 
 CHAP. XLV I. 
 
 The Refoluticji which the Barbarians took to carry the Au¬ 
 thor and his two Men along with them up into 'their 
 Country, above the River Mefchafipi. 
 
 C H A P. XLVII. 
 
 The many Outrages done us by the Savages, before we ar¬ 
 riv'd in thew Country. They frequently defign againfi 
 cur Lives . 
 
 CHAP. XLWII. 
 
 Tne Advantages which the Savages of the North have over 
 thofe of the South, in relation to the War : As aljo the 
 Ceremony which was perform'd by one of our Captains, 
 having caus'd us to halt at Noon. 
 
 C H A P. XLIX. 
 
 What Tricks and Artifices were us'd by Aquipaguetin 
 to cheat us handjemely of our Goods j with many other 
 Accidents that hapned in our Voyage. 
 
 C H A p/ L. 
 
 The Elders weep for us during the Night. New Outrages 
 done us by Aquipaguetin. The manner how the Sa¬ 
 vages make Fire by Friction. 
 
 C H A P. LI. 
 
 Ceremonies us d by the Savages when they jhare their Tri- 
 toner s. Continuation of cur Tourney by Land. 
 
 C H A p. LIL 
 
 A great Conteft arifes amongfi the Savages, about divi¬ 
 ding our Merchandife and Equipage j as alfo my Sa¬ 
 cerdotal Ornaments and little Cbejt . 
 
 CHAP. 
 
CHAP. LIU. 
 
 The Troop approaches the Village. A Grand Confult amongfl 
 the Savages, whether they Jhould kill us, or fave and 
 adopt us for their Sons. The Reception which we had 
 from them ; and the ufe they made of my Chafuble. 
 
 C H A P. LIV. 
 
 The Authors Reception by the Relations of Aquipaguetin. 
 They make him fweat to reco ver him of his Fatigues. 
 The ufe they make of his Chafuble and other Ornaments. 
 
 CHAP. LV. 
 
 The Author like to be famiflsd. They admire his Compafs, 
 and an Iron Pot which he had. He makes a Dill ionary, 
 and infirucis them in Points of Religion, in relation to 
 Poligamy and Celibacy. 
 
 CHAP. LVI. 
 
 The mofi confderable Captain of the IlTati and Nadouefflh 
 ans upbraid thofe that took us. The Author baptises the 
 Daughter of Mamenifi. * 
 
 CHAP. LVII. 
 
 An EmbaJJy fettt to the IlTati by the Savages that inhabit 
 to the Weft of them. Whence it appears that there is no 
 fuch thing as the Streights of Anian ; and that Japan 
 is on the fame Continent as Louifiana. 
 
 CHAP. LVIII. 
 
 The IlTati ajfemble to hunt the Wild-Bull. Refufal of the 
 two Canow-Men to take the Author into their Canow, 
 in order to go down the River of St. Francis. 
 CHAP. LIX. 4 
 
 The Savages halt above the FaU of St. Anthony of 
 Padua. They are ftreightend for Provifions. The 
 Aitthor, with Picard, returns to the River Ouifconfin. 
 The Adventures of the Voyage. 
 
 CHAP. LX. 
 
 The Hunting of the Tortoife. The Author's Canow is car¬ 
 ry d off by a fuddm blaft of Wind, which was like 
 to have reducd him and his Companions to great 
 Streights. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Contents of the Chapters. 
 
 CHAP. LXI. 
 
 We continue our Courfe in fearch of the River Ouifconfin. 
 Aquipaguetin finds us, and gets thither before us. 
 We fubfifi meerly by Providence. 
 
 CHAP. LX II. 
 
 Great Streights which the Author and his Companion are 
 reduc’d to in their Voyage. They at left meet again 
 with the Savages at their return from Hunting. 
 
 CHAP. LXIII. 
 
 The Savage Women hide their Provifions up and down 
 in private Holes. They god own the River again a fc- 
 cond time. Addrejs of the Savages. Bravery of one 
 of the Savages. 
 
 CHAP. I.XIV. 
 
 Arrival of the Sieur du Lath in our Camp. He defires 
 to return with him and his Followers to the Country 
 of the Iflati and Nadoueffians. I caff my Coverlet 
 over a dead Man. The Savages are pleas’d at it. 
 
 CHAP. LXV. 
 
 The Author takes his leave of the Sa vages to return to 
 Canada. A Savage is fain by his Chief for advi- 
 fmg to kill us. Dijpute between the Sieur du Luth 
 and me, about the Sacrifice of Barbarians. 
 
 CHAP. LXV I. 
 
 The Sieur du Luth is in a great Confernation at the Ap¬ 
 pearance of a Fleet of the Savages, who fitrprkid 
 us before we were got into the River Ouifconfin. 
 
 CHAP. LXVII. 
 
 The Authors Voyage from the Mouth of the River Ouif- 
 confin, to the great Bay of the Puans. 
 
 C H A P. LXV1II. 
 
 The Author and his Company fiay feme time amongfi the 
 Puans. Original of the Name. They celebrated the 
 Mafs here , and winter at Miffilimakinak. 
 
 CHAP. LXIX. 
 
 The Authors Departure from Miffilimakinak. He paffes 
 two great Lakes. Taking cf a Great Bear. Some 
 Particulars relating to the Flefh of that Beafi. 
 
 CHAP 
 
Contents of the Chapters. 
 
 CHAP. LXX. 
 
 The Meeting of the Author and a certain Captain of the 
 Outtaouadts, narrid Talon hj the Intendmt of that 
 Name, upon the Lake of Erie $ who recounts to him 
 many Adventures of his Family and Nation . Further 
 Obfervations upon the great Fall or Cataract of Nia- 
 
 * gara. 
 
 CHAP. LXXE 
 
 The Autfoorfets out from the Fort which is at the Mouth of 
 the River Niagara, and obliges the Iroquois ajfcm- 
 bid in Council , to deliver up the Slaves they had 
 made upon the Outtaouafts. 
 
 C H A P. LXXII. 
 
 T!jc Author fets out from the Tfonnontouans Iroquois, 
 and comes to Fort Frontenac. 
 
 C H A P. LXXIIL 
 
 The Author fets out from Fort Frontenac, and pajfes 
 
 .'. over the rapid Stream , which is call’d The Lqng 
 Fall. He is kindly receiv’d at Montreal by Count 
 . Frontenac. - - 
 
 C H A P. LXXIV. 
 
 A great Defeat of the Illinois, that were attack'd and 
 Jurpri&’d by the Iroquois. 
 
 CHAP. LXXV. 
 
 The Savages Kikapoux murther Father Gabriel de la 
 Ribourde, a Recollect Mejfonary, 
 
 'CHAP. LXXVL 
 
 The Author s Return from his DiJcovery to Quebec ; and 
 what hapned at his Arrival at the Convent of Our 
 Lady of Angels near that Town . 
 
 a 
 
 A 
 
IZffiliasagI MsiTCTL 
 
 cf the »V '/sc nip oils 
 
 'nqlzfh, titles 
 
 'rtXelfbn. 
 
 Chonjaa/kabv or 
 Xatton ofstrona men 
 
 £afs e Henr ietta. 
 
 t'r * tfarm 
 
 JLaJc 
 
 'ifeoutag arm^ 
 
 ^ Outculibf 
 “Fort to stop 
 ~//sentpous 
 
 fCruylifh 
 3 fab it a. tw ns 
 
 'amina 
 
 ! or Hatton. 
 zdoics 
 
 \fhbitibw 
 
 'Ua.no 
 
 \\ntaoc ret \ 
 
 lake \ 
 
 ^|c7 lantplatfQ 
 9B or Ere nets * 
 
 - 
 
 f i J** ketns 
 
 ' - ^> e Z area. 
 
 xb^'ProntetiajgJSj^^ . / 
 
 T< %X' rC x %ffifanp SoutH)£ ct 
 
 j&.M.... 
 
 CThe Illinois 
 
 ,utoua^% 
 
 \rhoutI 
 
 ffictldbar 
 
 lliamis 
 
 llaisoiintej 
 
 Tatnaroa 
 
 'ouhatan. 
 
 Chi qiuicha. 
 
 -XiUs 
 
 a map 
 
 |y °f a^Lajrge CourLtry^i^- 
 3P^ Hewly Its colored 
 
 |r^ m the 
 
 [Northern America J 
 
 *SitLLated between. / 
 
 New Mexico v 
 
 ,-lnd the TrooLcrt Sea ft 
 
 together with the Courfe 
 h of the Great River* w> 
 Ky 31 £ s c x^l soso X4 
 
 P^Dedicateci to his Maiy \ 
 
 William iii jj 
 
 TCintr of Great BriUXLtv ^ 
 By Father 
 
 JLewis Hennepin *3 
 
 WdfUifflorutru /Recollect and 
 Zffl Ipajlelic fS r otarn 
 
 m ^Jj towfiilSe** drr 
 
 I ban fa. 
 
 .£ddana 
 
 Vitacucho 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ liathew 
 
 Jttrios ?f d * Hat*hi 
 
 dblonnier* 
 
 Sleuth of the 
 Ucfchafipi. 
 
 Cape Carlos 
 
 mt Birnmv 
 
*'<? r' 
 
 -- 
 
 New Difcovery 
 
 O F A 
 
 » 
 
 Country greater than EUROPE; 
 
 Situated in America, betwixt New-Mexico 
 and the Frozen-Sea. 
 
 The Occafton of undertaking this Voyage. 
 
 ? ever wear y of contemplating 
 thofe Objeds that are before their Eves. 
 L y m ? eca ufe they difcover a thoufand ravi/h- 
 c j , , Excellencies therein,, capable to af- 
 
 foid em both Satisfadion and Inftrudion. The 
 Wonders they there meet with, are fo furprifing, 
 and (as it were ) enchanting, that they areneceT- 
 grdy engaged to furvey the fame with all poffibie 
 Exadnels, in order to fatisfie their natural Curiofity 
 and inform their Minds. r* 
 
 The Condition of Travellers is very near the 
 iajne. They re never weary of making new Difco- 
 venes. They re indefatigable in rambling through 
 unknown Countries and Kingdoms not mention’d 
 
 B 
 
 m 
 
2 A New Difcovery of 
 
 ia Hiftory ; feafting their Minds with the Satisfacti¬ 
 on of gratifying and enriching the World with fome- 
 thing unheard of, and whereof they had never any 
 Idea before. Tis true, fuch Enteiprizes expofe ’em 
 to infinite Fatigue and Danger: But herewith they * 
 folace themfelves, and perfevere to fuffer all with 
 Pleafure in that they hope to contribute thereby 
 both to the publick Good, and to the glory of God, 
 while at the fame time they are gratifying their own 
 natural Inclinations} and hence it is, they are fo 
 powerfully bent to make thefe Difcoveries, to feek 
 out ftrange Countries and unknown Nations, where¬ 
 of they had never before heard of. 
 
 Thofe whofe Aim in undertaking Voyages, is to 
 enlarge the Bounds of Chrift’s Kingdom, and ad¬ 
 vance the Glory of God, do upon that Profpedt a- 
 lone valiantly venture their Lives, making ’em of 
 no Account. They endure the greateft Fatigues,and 
 traverfe the moft unpayable Ways and horrid Pre¬ 
 cipices, in order to the Execution of their Defigns $ 
 being pufh'd on by the Hopes they entertain of Pro¬ 
 moting by thefe means the Glory of him who crea¬ 
 ted ’em, and under whofe Conduct they undertake 
 fuch toilfome Voyages. 
 
 It’s ufual to fee fome undaunted Men boldly en¬ 
 counter the moft frightful of Deaths, both in Bat¬ 
 tles and in dangerous Voyages: they are fuch as are 
 not difcouraged by all the Hazards that furround 
 ’em either by Sea or Land ; nothing being able to 
 withftand .the Valour and Courage that prompts ’em 
 to attempt any thing. Therefore is it, that we oft- 
 times fee em fucceed in obtaining their Defigns, 
 and ccmpailing their moft difficult Enterprizes. Yet 
 it’s to be acknowledg’d, that if they took a ferious 
 View before hand, of the Perils they’re about to 
 encounter, and conlider’d ’em in cold Blood, they 
 would perhaps find Difficulty to perfuade themfelves 
 into fuch refolute Thoughts } at leaft, they would 
 
a Large Country in America. 5 
 
 not form their Defigns after fuch a daring and fearlefs 
 “• Bu ^erally fpeaking, they do not furvey 
 their Dangers beforehand, any otherwife than by the 
 Lump, and with a transient View ; and having once 
 fet their Hands to the Work, Occafion engages ’eS 
 infenfibly, and entices ’em further on than they 
 cou d have behev’d at firft. Infomuch that many 
 of the great Difcovenes owing to Voyages are m 
 ther g the Refult of Chance, dun anJ?SlfcSi5 
 
 mv S °fdnn n ?hp 0 nT e fame T Nature happen’d to 
 my lelt in, the Difcovery I now bring to Light I 
 
 was from my Infancy very fond of Travelling • 
 
 Cnriolity induc’d me to vide many 
 
 Para of Emm one after another. But not being fa- 
 
 tisfied with that, I found my felf inclin’d toemer- 
 
 tam more d.flan, Profpecb, anil was eager upon fee- 
 
 >ng remoter Countries and Nations that had not yet 
 
 w“l led r folisn r in 
 
 ? th, 5 D,fcover y of a vaft and large Coun- 
 try, where no European ever was before myTelf. 
 
 Tis true indeed, I could not forefee the Emba- 
 raffing Difficulties, and Dangers I muff ofneceffitv 
 encounter with in this my painful Voyage Na7 
 perhaps the very Thoughts of ’em might have d& 
 
 r T and ^j 3r d h' om attempting a Defen 
 £°. and .' toilfome, and environ’d with fuch 
 
 frightful Difficulties. But maugre all thefe Difcou- 
 ragement^ I’ve at length perfected my Defen,“he 
 Undertaking of which was enough to frighten anv 
 other but my felf In which IV? fatisfy’l my 
 fees, both in regard to the curiofey I had to fee new 
 Countries, and ftrange Faces; and alfo upon the 
 
 m?°r“!f m the rf° utio ? ? J m ‘ >loy nnd dedicMe 
 7sS. ° ° ry ° f God ‘ and the Sil «tran 
 
 Thus it was that I difeover’d a wonderful Countrv 
 never Known til] now ; of which I here give anfen- 
 
 B 2 . " pie 
 
4 A N ew Difcovery of 
 
 pie Defcription ; and ( as I think ) circumftantiated 
 enough: It being divided into feveral fmall Chap¬ 
 ters, for the Conveniency of the Reader. I hope 
 the Publick will return me Thanks for my Pains, 
 becaufe of the Advantage that may accrue to it by 
 the fame. However the World’s Approbation Jhall 
 fufficiently recompenfe all the Trouble and Dangers 
 
 I’ve gone through. ’. ' n „ 
 
 I am not infenfible of the Reflections I (hall meet 
 with from fuch as never dar’d to travel themfelves, 
 or never read the Hiftories of the Curious and 
 Brave, who have given Relations of the Orange 
 Countries they have taken upon them to fee ; I doubt 
 not but that fort of Cattle will account ot this my 
 Difcovery as being falfe and incredible. But what 
 they fay /hall not trouble me much : They them¬ 
 felves were never Mafters of the Courage and Va¬ 
 lour which infpires Men to undertake the glorious 
 Enterprises that gain ’em Reputation in the World, 
 being confin'd within narrow Bounds, and want¬ 
 ing a Soul to atchieve any thing that can procure 
 ’em a diftinguilhing and advantageous Character a- 
 mong Men. It were better therefore for fuch to 
 admire what they cannot comprehend, and reft fa- 
 tisfy’d in a wife and profound Silence, than thus 
 foolifhiy to blame what they know nothing of. 
 
 Travellers are generally accus’d ot venting an In¬ 
 finity of Lyes and Impoftures: But Men of a mag¬ 
 nanimous and firm Courage are above fuch filly 
 Raileries 1 : For when they’ve done all to blacken our 
 Reputation, we fliall ftill receive for our Reward, 
 the Efteem and Approbation of Men of Honour, 
 who being endow’d with knowing and penetrating 
 Souls, are capable to give an equal and impartial 
 judgment of Travels, and of the juft Merit of fuch 
 as have hazarded their Lives for the Glory of God, 
 and the Good of the Publick. It is this happy and 
 agreeable Recompence that makes the daring Tra¬ 
 vellers 
 
a Large Country hi America. 5 
 
 vellers To valiantly expofe themfelves to all manner of 
 Fatigues and Dingers, that by lb doing, they may 
 become ufeful to Mankind. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 flic Motives which engag cl the Author of this Difcovery 
 to undertake the Voyage, whereof you have here a Re- 
 
 lotion . 
 
 1 Always found in my felf a ftrong Inclination to 
 retire from the World, and regulate my Life ac¬ 
 cording to the Rules of pure and fevere Virtue: and 
 in compliance with this Humour, I enter'd into the 
 Francijcan Order, deligning to confine my felf to an 
 auftere Way of Living. I was over-joy’d then, when 
 I read in Hiftory the Travels and Voyages of the Fa¬ 
 thers of my own Order, who indeed were the firft 
 that undertook Millions into any foreign Country.And 
 oft-times reprefented to my felf, that there could be 
 nothing greater or more glorious than to inltrud the 
 Ignorant and Barbarous, and lead ’em to the light of 
 the Gofpel; and having remark’d, that the Francifcans 
 had behav’d themfelves in this Work with a great deal 
 ^citl and Stlccefs,' Lfbilnd this.begat in my Mind 
 a Defire of tracing their Footfteps, and dedicating 
 my felf after their Example, to the Glory of God° 
 and the Salvation of Souls. 
 
 In reading the Hiftory of our Order, I obferv’d, 
 that in a general AlTembly held in the Year 1621 . it 
 was reckon’d, that fince the firft going of the Reve¬ 
 rend lather Martin de Valence (one of our firft Refor¬ 
 mers) into America, there had been five hundred Con ¬ 
 vents of Recolleds, eftablifti’d in that New World, 
 and diftributed into Two and twenty Provinces. As 
 I advanc’d in Years, this Inclination to travel did fo 
 much the more fix it felf in my Mind. It is true, 
 
 B 3 one 
 
6 A Hew Vifeoyery of 
 
 one of my Sifters that was marry’d at Ghent, and 
 whom I lov'd very tenderly, diddiffuade me from my 
 Defign as much as Ihe could, and never ceas d to re¬ 
 double her Sollidtations to that purpofe, while I had 
 occafion to lx; with her in that great City, whit ier 
 had gone to learn the Dutch Language : But being loin- 
 cited on the other hand, by many of my Friends at Am- 
 (hr Jam, to go to the Eafi-Indiis my natural Inclina¬ 
 tion, join’d to the Influence of their Requefts, did • 
 move me much, and had almoft deteimind me to 
 undertake a Sea-Voyage. 
 
 Seeing then that all theRemonftrances of my Siiter 
 could not difluade me from travelling, I ftrft under¬ 
 took a Journey into Italy $ and in Obedience to the 
 Orders of my Superiour, viflted all the great Chur¬ 
 ches, and moft confiderable Convents of our Order, 
 both in that Country, and in Germany ; which did in 
 fome meafure gratifie the Curiofity of my Temper. 
 But having return’d to the Netherlands, the Reverend 
 Father William Hcrinx, late Bilhop of fores, manifeft- 
 ed his aveifenefs to the Refolution I had taken of 
 continuing to travel, by detaining me in the Con¬ 
 vent of Hades in Haiti unit , where I was oblig d to per¬ 
 form the Office of Preacher for a Y ear. After which, 
 with theConfent of my Superiour, I went into.the 
 Country of Art ex, from whence I was fent to Ca¬ 
 lais, to a61 the part of a Mendicant there in time of 
 Herring-falting. 
 
 Being there, I was paflionately in love with hear¬ 
 ing the Relations that Matters of Ships gave of their 
 Voyages. Afterwards I return’d to our Convent at 
 Buz,, by the way of Dunkirk : But I us’d oft-times 
 to fculk behind the Doors of Viclualling-Houfes, to 
 hear the Sea-men give an Account of their Adven¬ 
 tures. The Smoak of Tobacco was offenfive to me, 
 and created Pain in my Stomach, while I was thus 
 intent upon giving ear to their Relations; But for all 
 I was very attentive to the Accounts they gave of 
 
 fhpir 
 
a Large Country in America. 7 
 
 their Encounters by Sea, the Perils they had gone 
 through, and all the Accidents which befell them in 
 their long Voyages. This Occupation was fo agree¬ 
 able and engaging, that I have fpent whole Days and 
 Nights at it without eating; for hereby I always 
 came to underhand fome new thing, concerning the 
 Cuftoms and Ways of Living in remote Places ;°and 
 concerning the Pleaiantnefs, Fertility, and Riches of 
 the Countries where thefe Men had been. 
 
 This confirm’d me more and more in my former 
 Refolution ; and that I might advance it yet further, 
 I went Miffionary into molt part of the Towns of 
 Holland ; and hopp’d at length at Majlrtubt , for 
 eight Months together, where I administer'd the Sa¬ 
 craments to above Three thoufand wounded Men: 
 In which Occupation I ventur’d many Dangers 
 among the Sick People, being taken ill both of a 
 Spotted Fever and a Dyfenterie, which brought me 
 very low, and near unto Death : But God at length 
 rehor’d me to my former Health, by the Care and 
 Help of a vety skilful Dutch Phyfician. 
 
 The Angular Zeal I had for promoting the Good 
 of Souls, engag’d me. the Year, following to be pre- 
 fent at the Battle of Scneffe, where l was bufied in 
 adminihring Comfort to the poor wounded Men: 
 Till at length, after having endur’d all manner of 
 Fatigue and Toil, and having run the rifque of ex¬ 
 treme Dangers at Sieges of Towns in the Trenches, 
 and in Fields of Battel, (where I never ceas’d to ex- 
 pofe my felf for the good of Mens Souls) while 
 thefe bloody Men were breathing nothing but Slaugh¬ 
 ter and Blood, I happily found my felf in a condi¬ 
 tion to fatisfie my firft Inclination: For I then re¬ 
 ceiv’d Orders from my Superiours to go for Rcchcl } in 
 order to embark in Quality of Miffionary for Canada. 
 Within Two Leagues of that City I perform'd the 
 Function of a Curate near two Months; being invi¬ 
 ted fo to do by the Paltor of the Place, who had oc- 
 
 B 4 cafion 
 
8 A New Difcovery of 
 
 cafion to be abfent from his Charge. But afterwards 
 I totally refign’d my lelf to the Providence of God, 
 and begun a Voyage of Twelve or Thirteen hundred 
 Leagues over, and perhaps the greateft that can be 
 made by Sea. 
 
 I embark’d in the Company of Mr. Francis de La¬ 
 val , created then Bilhop of Tetree in partibus Inf deli' 
 um, and fince Bifhop of Quebec , the Capital City of 
 Canada $ and now my Inclination to travel increas’d 
 more and more: Yet I flaid in that Country four 
 Years, and was fent thence in Miffion, while the 
 Abbot of Fenelon , prefent Archbifhop of Can? bray, 
 refided there. . ' 
 
 I fhall not here recount the feveral Adventures of 
 our Voyage, nor the Fights we were engag'd in with 
 the Ships of Turkey, Tunis, and Algiers, who attem¬ 
 pted feveral times to have taken us $ but without fuc- 
 cefs. Nor fhall I ftay to relate our Approach to Cafe 
 Bretcn, where we beheld with incredible Delight, the 
 Battle ordinarily fought betwixt the Fillies call’d 
 Efpadons and the Whales, their mortal Enemies; nei¬ 
 ther am I to detain my Reader with an Account of 
 what vaft Quantities' of Filh we took at Forty Fa¬ 
 thom Water, upon the Great Bank of New-found- 
 Land ; or what great Numbers of Ships we rencoun¬ 
 ter’d with, that were bound thither from different 
 Nations to filh in thefe Places, which afford fuch in¬ 
 finite Numbers of all manner of Filhes. Thefe di¬ 
 verting Sights were very agreeable to all our Crew, 
 which was then about an Hundred Men ftrong, to 
 three Fourths of whom I adminiftred the Sacra¬ 
 ments, they, being Catholicks. I perform’d likewife 
 Divine Service every Day while the Weather was 
 calm; and we lung the Itinerary of the Clergy, 
 translated into French .Verfe, after the Evening 
 Prayers. * 
 
 Thus 
 
a Large Country in America. 9 
 
 Thus we fweetly pafs’d our Time a-board, ’till at 
 .length we arriv’d at Quebec, the Capital City of 
 Canada. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 1he Means by which the Author accuflomd himfelf to en¬ 
 dure the Travail and Fatigue of hx laborious MiJJion. 
 
 M R. Francis de Laval , Bilhop of Petree, having ta¬ 
 ken poffeflion of the BiHioprick of Quebec, 
 which was conferr’d upon him by Pope Clement X. 
 and that contrary to the Sentiments of many Perfons 
 of Quality, who, by means of his Preferment, were 
 fruftrated of their own Pretenfions: This Reverend 
 Prelate (I fay ) having taken into confideration the 
 Fervency of my Zeal in Preaching the Gofpel in my 
 Voyage, my afliduous Diligence in performing Di¬ 
 vine Service, and the Care I had taken to hinder the 
 Young Fellows of our Crew from keeping loole 
 Company with the Women and Maids that came 
 along with us (for which I had oft-times been re¬ 
 warded with Anger and Hatred ; ) thefe Reafons, 
 and fuch like, procur'd me the Favour and Applaufe 
 of this Illufh ious Prelate, he obliging me to preach 
 in Advent and Lent to the Cloifter of St. Augifiin , in 
 the Hofpital of Quebec. 
 
 But in the mean while, all this did not fatisfie my 
 natural Inclination : I us’d oft-times to go fome 
 Twenty or Thirty Leagues off the Town to fee the 
 Country, wearing a little Hood, and making ufe of 
 large Rackets, without which I had been in danger of 
 falling headlong over fearful Precipices. Sometimes 
 to eafe my felf a little, I made a great Dog I had 
 brought with me, drag my little Baggage along, that 
 I might arrive the fooner at Trois Rivieres } St, Atine^ 
 and Cape Tourmente, Bourgroyal, the Point de Levi, 
 
 and 
 
to A New Difcovery of 
 
 and at the Ifland of Sr. Laurence, whither I defign’d 
 to go.' There I affembled together, in one of the 
 largeft Cottages of that Country, as many People 
 as I could gather; whom in lome time I admitted 
 to Confeflion, and to the Holy Communion. In 
 the Night-time I had nothing to cover me but a 
 Cloak ; and fometimes the Frolt pierc'd to my 
 very Bones, which oblig’d me to make a Fire five or 
 fix times in a Night, to prevent my freezing to death. 
 My Commons alfo were very fhort, fcarce more 
 than to keep me from ftarving. ' 
 
 In the Summer-feafon I was oblig’d, in order to • 
 continue my Miffion, to travel in Canou’s, that is, a 
 fort of little Boats (which I (hall defcribe hereafter) 
 that they make ufe of in Lakes and Rivers: Which 
 fort of Contrivance fucceeded well enough where 
 the Wafer was fhallow, or about two or three Foot 
 deep ; But when we came to any deeper Place, then 
 the Boat, which was round underneath, was in dan¬ 
 ger of over-turning, infomuch that I had certainly 
 perilh’d in the Water, had not I taken a circumfped 
 Care of my felf. 
 
 However, I found my felf oblig’d to travel after 
 this manner, for there were no palfable Roads in 
 this Country ; it being impoffible to travel over-land 
 in thefe new Colonies, becaufe of that infinite num¬ 
 ber of Trees and Woods that befet them on all fides, 
 which mult needs be cut down or burn’d, before any 
 paffable Way be made. 
 
a Large Country in America. 
 
 11 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 A Defcription of thofe Canous that they make ufe of in the 
 Summer-time -in America, for the Convenient^ of tra¬ 
 velling. 
 
 T Heie Canou’s are round underneath, as I faid 
 but now, and pointed at the two Ends, not 
 unlike the Venetian Gondals: Without them it were 
 importable to travel in America, for the Country is full 
 of vaft and wide-extended Forefts: Befides, the im¬ 
 petuous Winds fometimes pluck up the Trees by the 
 Roots, and Time it felf ranverfes great numbers of 
 ’em, which tumbling down through Age, are piled 
 fo one upon another, that the Ways are totally em- 
 barafs’d, and render’d unpafl'able. 
 
 The Savages are very ingenious in making thefe 
 Canou’s: They make them of the Bark of Birch- 
 Trees, which they pull very neatly off that fort 
 of Trees, they being confiderably bigger than thofe 
 of Europe. They betake themfelves to this Work ge¬ 
 nerally about the end of Winter, in the vaft Fo¬ 
 refts that lie towards the Northern Parts of thefe 
 Countries. 
 
 For fupporting this Bark they line it within 
 with Ribs or Pieces of white Wood, or Cedar, about 
 four Fingers broad ; this they Vurbifh up with fmall 
 Poles made fmooth, that make the Circumference 
 of the Canou; then by other Poles going a-crofs, 
 about an inch, or an Inch and a half thick, which 
 are very fnioothly polifh’d ; thefe they join on both 
 Tides to the Bark by fmall Roots of Trees cloven in 
 two, not much unlike the Willows that we make our 
 Baskets of in Europe. 
 
 Thefe Canou’s have no Rudder, as the bigger Shal¬ 
 lops have, for they row them along merely by the 
 
 force 
 
,2, A Hew D'tfcoVery of 
 
 force of their Arms with fome fmall Oars ; and can 
 turn them with an incredible fwiftnefs, and direct them 
 whither they lift. Thofe that are accuftom d to ma¬ 
 nage them, can make ’em fail at a wonderful rate, 
 even in : c'alm Weather; but when the Wind is fa¬ 
 vourable, they are e'pedite to a Miracle; for they then 
 make ufe of little Sails made of the fame Bark, but 
 thinner than that of the Canou s. As for the Euro¬ 
 peans, that by long ufage come to be well vers d in 
 this fort of Tackling, they make ufe of about four 
 Ells of Linen Cloth, hoifted up on a little Malt, the 
 Foot of which ftands in a Hole made in a fquare 
 piece of light Wood, that is faftned betwixt the Ribs 
 and the Bark of the Canou’s towards the" Bottom. 
 
 Thole that are well skill’d in‘ managing thefe Ca¬ 
 nou s, can fail Thirty or Thirty five Leagues in a 
 Day down a River, and fometimes more in Lakes, 
 if the Wind be favourable: But fome of ’em are 
 much bigger than others. They carry generally 
 about a Thoufand pound Weight, fome Twelve hun¬ 
 dred, and the biggeft not above Fifteen hundred 
 pounds. The leait of ’em can carry Three or four 
 hundred pound weight, together with two Men or 
 Women to fteer them along. But the Greater muft 
 have Three or Four Men to manage them, and 
 fometimes when Bufinefs requires Expedition, Seven 
 or Eight to quicken their pace. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Other Motives that induc'd the Author tr}ore forcibly to 
 undertake this Difcovery. 
 
 T Was paffionately zealous, in imitation of many 
 Fathers of my Order, for enlarging the Limits 
 of Chriftianicy, and converting the barbarous Ame¬ 
 ricans to the Belief of the Gofpel; and in purfuance 
 
a Large Country in America; 13 
 
 ^ e ^g n > I l°ok d upon the Employment of a 
 Mijjwnary as a moft Honourable Port forme - fo 
 that whenever 1 found the opportunity of a Million, 
 I willingly embrac d it; tho’ it oblig’d me to travel 
 more than Twelve hundred Leagues off Canada : Yet 
 1 perluaded leveral to accompany me in my Voyage * 
 and negletfed not any thing that might tend to the 
 furtherance of my Delign. 
 
 At fir*!, for a Trial I was lent in Million about 
 a Hundred and twenty Leagues beyond Quebec. I 
 went up by the way of the River St. Lafcnce, and 
 arnv d at length at the brink of a Lake call’d by the 
 Natives Ontario, which I /hall defcribe hereafter 
 Being there, J perfwaded feveral of the barbarous 
 Iroyueje, to cultivate the Ground, and prepare fome 
 Wood for building a Lodge for us. Then I made 
 thcni erc^t a Crofs of an extraordinary heighth and 
 bignefs; and built a Chapel near to the Lake, and 
 lettled my lelf there, with another of my own Or¬ 
 der, by Name, Father Luke BuiJJet, whom I had in¬ 
 duc’d to come along with me, and who died iince 
 in our Franc 4 Mn Convent upon the Sambre : I /hall 
 have occasion afterwards to fpeak of him, for that 
 we cohabited in Canada for a long time, and were 
 Fellow-Labourers in our Settlement at Catarokouy ; 
 which was the Place where we oft-times concerted 
 the Meafures of making this Difcovery I am about 
 to relate. I there gave my felf much to the reading 
 of Voyages, and encreas’d the Ambition I had to 
 purfue my Delign, from what Light the Savages 
 imparted to us in that matter : In fine, 1 plainly per¬ 
 ceiv’d by vvhat Relations I had receiv’d of feveral 
 Particulars in different Nations, that it was a mat¬ 
 ter of no great difficulty to make confiderable Efta- 
 bli/hments to the South-Ealf of the great Lakes ; and 
 that by the conveniency of a great River call’d 
 Hoio, which palfes through the Country of the Iro- 
 quefe , a Paflage might be made into the Sea at ' 
 Cape Florida. While 
 
14 -A New Difcovery of 
 
 While I refided in that place, I made feveral little 
 Tours, fometimes with the Inhabitants of Canada, 
 that we had brought along to fettle at our Fort of 
 Catarokouy $ fometimes in company of the Stages 
 alone, with whom I convers’d frequently. And as 
 I forefaw that the Ircquefe might become jealous and 
 fufpicious of our Difcoveries, I refolv d to make a 
 Tour round their Five Cantons; and in purluanceot 
 this Defign, threw my felf among ’em, being accom- 
 pany’d only wirh a Soldier of our Fort, who tra- 
 vell’d with me Seventy Leagues, or near the Matter, 
 on this Occafion ; we having our Feet arm’d 
 with large Rackets, to prevent the Injury of the 
 Snow, which abounds in that Country in time of 
 
 Winter. . Wm 
 
 I had already acquir’d fome fmall Knowledge of 
 the Irocjuefe Language ; and while I travell d in this 
 manner among them, they were furpriz’d to fee me 
 walk in the Midft of Snow, and lodge my felf in 
 the wild Forelfs that their Country is full of. We 
 were oblig’d to dig four Foot deep into the Snow, 
 to make Fire at Night, after having journey'd Ten 
 or Twelves Leagues over-day. Our Shooes were 
 made after the Falhion of thofe of the Natives, but 
 were not able to keep out the Snow, which melted 
 as foon as our Feet touch’d it, it having receiv’d heat 
 from the motion of us walking along. We made 
 ufe of the Barks of Trees to cover us when we 
 went to fleep ; and were carefully follicitous to keep 
 in great Fires to defend us from the nipping Colds. 
 In ^this lonefome Condition fpent we the Nights, 
 waiting the welcome return of the Sun, that we 
 might go on in our Journey. As for Food, we had 
 none, fave the Indian Corn grinded fmall, which 
 we diluted with Water, to make it go down 
 the better. 
 
 Thus we pafs’d through the Countries of the Hon- 
 nehmis and Honmntages , who gave us a very kind 
 
 reception, 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 5 
 
 Ih? P r“ 0n ’r and „,i re d ! c ra ° ft Warlike Pco pIe of j, 
 the Irotjuefe. When they faw us. they put their Fore 
 fingers to then Mouths fignifying how Sh fc 
 pnsd they were at the troublefim and difficult 
 Jtaurney we had made in the middle of $£' 
 
 c^'3 ItirZ? 
 
 (ion an did with 3,1 ™ nn “ of paf- 
 fion and aftom/hment pronounce the Word Gannr 
 
 £7 intimating, that it muft needs iiav? £n a 
 
 Bulineis of great Importance that mov’d us mat 
 
 fdme d ' ffiCUlt Mrncy M fo “"fSble 
 
 A regal’d us with Elk and Venifon 
 
 drefsd after their own faftion. which we eatlfand 
 afterwards took leave of ’em; going forther on ln 
 our journey. When we departed,, we carry’d our 
 Bed-cloaths on our Backs, and took with us^ little 
 ot to boyl their Corn in. We pafs’d through Ways 
 hat were overflown with Water, and fuch as woJd 
 have been unpayable by any European : For when 
 we came at vaft Marftes and overflowing Biwks 
 we were obhgd to crawl along by the Tw t 
 length with much difficulty we arriv’d at Gatuki 
 or Jgmexr which is one of the Five Cantons of the 
 
 // ‘/ ted ,S OUt a lar § e Da y’ s Journey from 
 Nelj-Hollaml, call d no w Nov-York : Being there we 
 
 vveie ^ Ul c c to ^afon our Indian Corn ( which we 
 vvere wont to bruize betwixt two Stones) with lit¬ 
 tle Frogs that the Natives gather’d in the Meadows 
 
 towards Eafier when the Snow was all gone. 
 
 • We .r y V? me c j me , amon S thefePeoole, lodg¬ 
 ing with a Jejune that had been born at Lions, to 
 tianlcribe an Irotjueje Dictionary. When the Wea¬ 
 ther began to be more favourable, we chanc’d one 
 day to meet with three Dutch -men on Horfe-back, 
 who had come thither to traffick in Beavers Skins 
 7 hey werefent thither by Major Andravs, who is 
 
 t the 
 
,6 A New Vifcovery of 
 
 the Perfon that fobdu’d of 
 
 King of England, and is at preient aju 
 
 heard me fpeak ‘> h had read feveral 
 
 gStcS mad V e by thofe of our 
 Hiitor es or Northern Parts of America, 
 
 tatofSSWore fen any wear the Habit in 
 diirfe Countries as we did. They Ukew.fe eaprefsd 
 the ereat Deftre they had to have me fay among 
 d em for the Spiritual Comfort and Advantage of 
 many Catholicks who had come from our Ifafcr- 
 S and fetled there: And I fcould very wthng- 
 lv have yielded to their Intreaties m refiding there, 
 but diat I was afraid of giving any Jea ouf.e to the 
 Vefuites, who had receiv’d me very Kindly ; and be- 
 hdes I was aware of injuring the Colony of Canada, 
 in refpedt to the Commerce they had with the Sava- 
 ces of my Acquaintance in Beavers and Skins. 
 We therefore having teftifyed how much obhgd 
 we were to the Gentlemen for their Kmdnds, re¬ 
 turn’d again to C.atarokouj with much lefs difficulty 
 than we went. But all this had no other efted 
 than to augment the Itching I had to difeover re- 
 moter Countries. . > 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 A Defcrifticn of Fort Catarokouy, call'd fince 
 Fort Frontenac. 
 
 T His Fort is fituated a Hundred Leagues from Que¬ 
 bec (the Capital City of Canada ) up the Ri¬ 
 ver St. Laurence Southwards. Ic is built near to the 
 
 Place 
 
a Large Country in America. 17 
 
 iere the Lake Ontario (which is as much 
 y , the pretty Lake) difcharges it felf. 
 jrrounded with a Rampart, great Stakes and 
 s, and tour Baftions, by the Order of Count 
 , Governour-General of Canada. They found 
 ry to build this Fort for a Bulwark againft 
 lions of the Iroqueje, and to interrupt the 
 t Skins that thefe Savages maintain with the 
 its of New-Tork, and the Hollanders , who 
 -led a new Colony there $ for they furnilh 
 ges with Commodities at cheaper Rates than 
 h of Canada. 
 
 ■oquefe are an Infolent and barbarous Nation, 
 ihed the Blood of more than Two millions 
 5 m that vaft-extended Country. They 
 never ceafc from difturbing the Repofe of 
 Oceans, were it not for fear of their Fire- 
 For they entertain no Commerce with 
 V£ Merchandife-Goods they Band in 
 
 ’ rl . , Arms, which they buy on purpofe 
 igamft their Neighbours; and by the means 
 :h they have compafs’d the Delirudion of 
 ite Number of People, extending their bloo- 
 .quelt above y or 6c o Leagues beyond their 
 eands, and exterminating whatever Nations 
 
 at firft was only fiirrounded with 
 Palilado’s, and earthen Ramparts, has been 
 fince the commencement of my Million 
 ie Countries, to the circumference of Three 
 and fixty Toifes (each of thefe being fix 
 length) and is now adorn’d with Free-Stone 
 iey find naturally polifh’d by thefhock of the 
 pon the brink of the Lake Ontario or Frontcnac. 
 'rought at this Fort with fo much diligence 
 pedition, that in two Years time it was ad- 
 to this perfection, by the Care and Con- 
 Sieur-Cavelier de la Salle , who was a, Herman 
 c born j 
 
, 6 A New Dtfernery of ; 
 
 the Perfon that fubdu’d B»>» 
 
 King of Eand is at prefent Go*n_ 
 
 "Itefe Gentlemen alighted from their Hot 
 
 heard mefpeak Dutch , they teftify’d a great 
 Friendlhip to me, and told me they had re* 
 
 e par y ts o°f f . 
 
 but”had never before fen any 1 
 
 |“g U ^^^»e r 
 
 them for the Spiritual Comfort and Advan 
 many Catholicks who had come from our 
 S Tnd fetled there : And I >ould very v 
 lv have yielded to their Intreaties m lefiding 
 but S I was afraid of giving any Jealoufie 
 K who had receiv’d me very Kindly; « 
 i(des I was aware of injuring the Colony of < 
 
 In mfped to the Commerce they had with the 
 res of my Acquaintance in Beavers and 
 fe therefore hiving teffifyed how much _ 
 we were to the Gentlemen for their Kindne 
 rnrn'd again to C.atarokouj with much lefs dif. 
 than we went. But ah this had no other 
 than to augment the Itching I had to difcov 
 mnrer Countries. . ,, 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 A Defcripticn of Fort Catarokouy, call’d 
 Fort Frontenac. 
 
 T His Fort is fituated a Hundred Leagues fi 4 
 bee (the Capital City of Canada) up 
 ver St. Laurence Southwards. Ic is built nea 
 
a Large Country in America. 17 
 
 Place where the Lake Ontario (which is as much 
 a? to fay, the pretty Lake) difcharges it felf. 
 It was furrounded with a Rampart, great Stakes and 
 Palifado’s, and four Baftions, by the Order of Count 
 Frontenac, Governour-General of Canada. They found 
 it neceffary to build this Fort for a Bulwark againft 
 the Excurfions of the Iroqueje, and to interrupt the 
 Trade of Skins that thefe Savages maintain with the 
 Inhabitants of New-Tork, and the Hollanders, who 
 have fettled a new Colony there ; for they furniih 
 the Savages with Commodities at cheaper Rates than 
 the French of Canada. 
 
 The Iroquefe are an Infolent and barbarous Nation, 
 that has fned the Blood of more than Two millions 
 of Souls in that vaft-extended Country. They 
 would never ceafe from difturbing the Repofe of 
 the Europeans, were it not for fear of their Fire- 
 Arms : For they entertain no Commerce with 
 them, fave in the Merchandife-Goods they {land in 
 need of, and in Arms, which they buy on purpofe 
 to uie againft their Neighbours $ and by the means 
 of which, they have compafs’d the Deitrudion of 
 an infinite Number of People, extending their bloo¬ 
 dy Conqueft above 5" or 600 Leagues beyond their 
 own Precincts, and exterminating whatever Nations 
 they hate. 
 
 This Fort, which at firfi was only furrounded with 
 Stakes, Palifado’s, and earthen Ramparts, has been 
 enlargd fince the commencement of my Million 
 into thefe Countries, to the circumference of Three 
 hundred and fixty Toifes (each of thefe being fix 
 Foot in length) and is now adorn’d with Free-Stone, 
 which they find naturally polifh’d by the fhock of the 
 Water upon the brink of the Lake Ontario or Frontenac. 
 They wrought at this Fort with fo much diligence 
 and expedition, that in two Years time it was ad¬ 
 vanc’d to this perfection, by the Care and Con- 
 dud of Sieur-Cavelier de la Salle, who was a.. Norman 
 
 C born ; 
 
\ K A New Vifcovery of 
 
 born ; a Man of great Condud and profound Poli¬ 
 cy. He oft-times pretended to me, that he was a 
 Tarifian by Birth, thinking thereby to engage Father 
 Luke Buijfet before-Mention’d, and me, to put more 
 confidence in him: For he had quickly obferv’d 
 from our ordinary Converfation, that the Ilemins, 
 and fcveral other Nations, are prone to be jealous of 
 the Normans. I am fenfible that there are Men of 
 Honour and Probity in Normandy , as well as elfe- 
 where; but neverthelefs it is certain, that other 
 Nations are generally more free, and lefs fly and in¬ 
 triguing, than the Inhabitants of that Province of 
 France. 
 
 This Fort Frontcnac lies to the Northward of this 
 Lake, near to its Mouth, where it difcharges it felf; 
 and is fituated in a Teninfula , of which the Ifihmus 
 is digg’d into a Ditch, On the other fide, it has 
 partly the Brink of the Lake furrounding it, partly a 
 pretty fort of a natural Mould, where all manner 
 of Ships may ride fafely. 
 
 The Situation of this Fort is fo advantageous, that 
 they can eafily prevent the Sallies and Returns of the 
 Iroquefe ; and in the (pace of Twenty four Hours, 
 can wage War with them in the Heart of their own 
 Country. This is eafily compafs'd by the help of 
 their Barques, of which I faw Three all deck'd and 
 mounted, at my lall departure thence. With thefe 
 Barques, in a very little time, they can convey them- 
 felves to the South-fids of the Lake, and pillage (if 
 it be needful) the Connery of the Ffounontouans, who 
 are the moil numerous of all the Provinces of the 
 Irscjucje. They manure a great deal of Ground for 
 lowing their Indian Corn in, of which they reap 
 ordinarily in one Harveft as much as ferves 'em for 
 two Years: Then they put it into Caves digg’d in 
 the Earth, and cover'd after fuch a manner, that no 
 Rain can come at it. - 
 
a Large Country in America. j p 
 
 The Ground which lies along the Brink of this 
 Lake is very fertile : In the fpace of two Years and 
 a half that I refided there in difcharge of my Mif- 
 Jion, they cultivated more than a hundred Acres of 
 it. Both the Indian and European Corn, Pulfe Pot- 
 Herbs, Gourds, and Water-Melons, throve very well. 
 It b true indeed, that at firft the Corn was much 
 fpoii’d by Grafhoppers; but this is a thing that hap¬ 
 pens in all the Parts of Ganada at the firft cultivating 
 the Ground, by reafon of the extream Humidity of 
 all that Country. The firft Planters we lent thi¬ 
 ther, bred up Poultry there, and tranfported with 
 them Horned Beafts, which multiply’d there extream- 
 ly* They have ftately Trees, fit for building of 
 Houfes or Ships. Their Winter is by three Months 
 ftiorter than at Canada. In fine, we have all the 
 reafon to hope, that e’re long, a confiderable Colo¬ 
 ny will be fettled in that Place. When I undertook 
 my great Voyage, I left there about Fifteen or Six¬ 
 teen Families together, with Father Luke Buijjet a 
 Recollet, with whom I had us'd to adminifter the Sa¬ 
 craments in the Chapel of that Fort. 
 
 While the Brink of the Lake was frozen, I walk’d 
 upon the Ice to an Iroquefe Village, call'd Ganneoufe, 
 near to Keute, about nine Leagues off the Fort, in 
 company of the Sieur de la Salle above-mention’d. 
 Thefe Savages prefented us with the Flelh of Elks 
 and Porcupines, which we fed upon. After having 
 difcoursd them forne time, we return’d, bringing 
 with us a confiderable number of the Natives, in or¬ 
 der to form a little Village of about Forty Cotta¬ 
 ges to be inhabited by them, lying betwixt the Fort 
 and our Houfe of Million. Thele Barbarians turn’d 
 up the Ground, for fowing of Indian Corn and Pulfe, 
 of which we gave them feme for their Gardens. 
 We likewife taught them, contrary to their ufiial 
 cuftom of eating, to feed upon Soupe, made with 
 Pulfe and Herbs, as we did. 
 
 C 2 
 
 V, 
 
 Father 
 
.1 
 
 jo A New DifcoVery of 
 
 Father Luke and I made one Remark upon their 
 Language, that they pronounc’d no Labial Letters, 
 fuch as B, P, M, F. We had the Apoftolick Creed, 
 the Lord’s Prayer, and our ordinary l itany, tranfla- 
 ted into the Iroquefe Language, which we caus’d them 
 to get by heart, and repeat to their Children; and 
 forc’d their Children to pronounce as we-did, by in¬ 
 culcating to them the Labial Letters, and obliging 
 "’em to frequent converfe with the Children of the 
 Europeans that inhabited the Fort; fo that they mu¬ 
 tually taught one another their Mother-Languages; 
 which ferv’d likewife to entertain a good Correfpon- 
 dence with the Iroquefe. 
 
 Thefe Barbarians flay’d always with us, except 
 when they went a hunting ; which was the thing 
 we were much concern’d about: for when they went 
 for five or fix Months ravaging through their vaft 
 huge Forefts, and fometimes Two hundred Leagues 
 from their ordinary abode, they took their whole 
 Family along with them. And thus they liv’d to¬ 
 gether, feeding upon the Flefh of the wild Bealls 
 they kill’d with the Fire-Arms they us’d to receive of 
 the Europeans, in exchange of their Skins : And it 
 was impoflible for any Mifltonary to follow them 
 into thefe wild Defarts; fo that their Children being 
 abfent all the feafon of Hunting, forgot what we 
 had inftill’d into them at Fort Frontenac. 
 
 The Inhabitants of Canada towards Quebec, Trots 
 Rivieres, and the Ifle of Monreal, being fick of their 
 long Winters; and feeing thofe of the Francifcan 
 Order fettle themfelves at Frontenac, where the Win¬ 
 ter was three Months Ihorter, many of ’em refolv’d 
 to tranfport their Families thither, and refide there. 
 They reprefented to themfelves the Advantage that 
 fhould accrue to them, by having the Sacraments ad- 
 miniftred, and their Children educated by us, and 
 that for nothing ; for we ordinarily took no Compen- 
 
 There 
 
a Large Country w America, 21 
 
 There have always been fome fort of People who 
 endeavour’d to render themfelves Mailers of Canada, 
 and become Arbiters and Judges over all the Settle¬ 
 ments there ; for the comparing of which Defign, 
 they left no means untry’d. They attributed to them- 
 lelves the Glory of all the Good Succefs that was had 
 there: They difpers’d their Miffionaries over all the 
 Country, and endeavour’d to obftrua all our Defigns 
 at Fort Frontenac. In fine, they oblig’d our Recollets 
 to remove thence by the help of the Marquifs de Be- 
 nonville, the then Governour of Canada , whom they 
 had wheedled in to. their Interefts, and who had fuf- 
 fer’d himlelf to be impos’d upon by the Artifices of 
 thefe Men. 
 
 I hope, that lome time or other God will re-efta- 
 blilh our poor Monks in that Place ; for their Defigns 
 were always innocent and good ; and they could ne¬ 
 ver have been made to retire thence, without doing 
 them Injuftice. God leaves nothing unpunilh’d : The 
 Day lhall come when he fhall take Vengeance on 
 thole who did this Injury. I heard lome time ago, 
 that the Iroquefe, who wage continual War with the 
 French of Canada, have feiz’d the Fort of Catarockouy ; 
 as alfo that the cruel Savages did Imoak in their Pipes 
 lome of the Fingers of thole who had procur’d the de¬ 
 parture of our poor Recollets from that Fort; and that 
 the prelent Inhabitants of Canada have upbraided thofe 
 who were the Authors of that Injuftice, with it. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 A Defcription of fome Frefli-water Lakes, the greateft and 
 the fleaf ant eft in the Univerfe. 
 
 I Here commence the Delcription of the mod re¬ 
 markable Things in this great Difcovery, that the 
 Reader may the more eafily attain to a full Know- 
 
 C 3 ledge 
 
' 22, A New Vifcoyery of 
 
 ledge of our Voyage, by following the Map we have 
 provided lor that pu'rpofe. , _ 
 
 The Lake Ontario receiv d the Name of the Lake 
 Frontenac, from the Illuftrious Count de Frontenac, 
 Governour-General of Canada. All the World is 
 acquainted with the Merit and Vertue of that No¬ 
 ble Perfon: It is likewife well known, how anci¬ 
 ent that Family is from which he is defcended, 
 and what a'glorious Train of Illuftrious Anceftors 
 went before him, who were always thought worthy 
 of the moft weighty Employments both Civil and 
 Military ! His Family was always inviolably firm to 
 the Intcrefts of their Sovereign, even in the moft 
 perplex’d .Times: Nay, I may fay . upon this occafi- 
 on, without giving Offence to the other Governours 
 of Canada, that have either preceded, oraretofuc- 
 ceed him. That this Country was never govern d 
 with fo much Wifdom, Moderation, and Equity, as 
 by the Count de Frontenac. 
 
 I know very well, that thole Men who alpire 
 to be Mafters over all, have endeavour’d to blacken 
 his Reputation, to eclipfe his Glory, and render him 
 fufpe<fted. But I am bound to fay, to the Praife of 
 that Illuftrious Nobleman, That for all the Ten 
 Years he liv’d in that Country, he was a Father to 
 the Poor $ a Prote&or to thofe that were in danger 
 of being opprefs d ; nay, in Ihort, his Converfation 
 was a perfect Model of Yertue and Piety. Thofe of his 
 Countrymen who were ftirr’d up againft him, by an 
 Effect of their natural Levity and Ficklenefs, had 
 the Mortification to fee him re-eftablilh’d in that 
 very fame Government, of which their Calumnies 
 and malignant Intrigues had endeavour’d to dilpoffefs 
 him. They had engag’d the Intendant of Chefneau 
 in the fame Combination, having over-reach’d him 
 by their cunning Artifices. Yet notwithftanding all 
 thefe unjuft Cenliires, I came to underftand of late, 
 that they regret much the want of that Illuftrious 
 Count. _ /C\ * 
 
 
a Large Country U America. 2 3 
 
 It was therefore in Honour of this Worthy Count 
 that they gave to the Lake the Name of Frmtenac, in 
 order to perpetuate his Memory in that Country.' 
 This Lake is Eighty Leagues long, and Twenty five 
 Leagues broad : It abounds with Fifties, is deep, and 
 navigable all over. The Five Cantons, or Diftri&s, 
 of the Iroquefe, do inhabit for the molt part the South- 
 fide of this Lake, “v/it, the G anmeeez*, or yi niczj (the 
 nigheft Neighbours to New- Holland, or ^New-Tork) 
 the Onnontagues , or thofe who live in the Mountains, 
 who are the molt: Warlike People of all that Nation ■ 
 the Onneiouts and Tfonnontouans the moft populous of 
 them all. There are likewife on the South-fide of 
 the Lake, ihefe Irocfue/e Villages, viz* Tejajagon, Rente, 
 and Ganmoujje, which is not diftant from Frcntenac 
 above Nine Leagues. 
 
 The great River of St. Laurence derives its Source from 
 the Lake Ontario, which is likewife call’d in the IroejueJe 
 Language, Skanadario ; that is to fay, a very pretty 
 Lake. ItTprings likewife partly from theLakes that are 
 higher up in the Country, as we fhall haveoccalion 
 to obferve afterwards. 
 
 This Lake Ontario is of an Oval Figure, and extends 
 it felf from La# to Weft. Its Water is frefh and 
 fweet, and very pleafant to drink ; the Lands which 
 border upon it being likewife very fertile. It 
 is very navigable, and can receive large Vef- 
 fels: Only in Winter it is more difficult, becaufe of 
 the outrageous Winds which are frequent there. From 
 this Lake one may go by Barques, or by greater Vef- 
 fels to the foot of a great Rock that is about two 
 Leagues off the Fall of the River Niagara, which I 
 am now to defcribe. 
 
 C 4 
 
 CHAP. 
 
24 
 
 A ISle w DifcoVery of 
 
 C H A P. VII. 
 
 A Defcription of the Fall of the River Niagara, that is 
 to be Jeers betwixt the Lake Ontario and that of Erie. 
 
 B Etwixt the Lake Ontario and Erie, there is a vaft 
 and prodigious Cadence of Water which falls 
 down after a furprizing and afronifliing manner, in- 
 fomuch that the Univerfe does not afford its 
 Parallel. 3 Tis true, Italy and Suedeland boaft of fome 
 fuch Things; but we may well fay they are but for- 
 ry Patterns, when compar'd to this of which we 
 ’ now fpeak. At the foot of this horrible Precipice, 
 we meet with the River Niagara, which is not 
 above half a quarter of a League broad, but is 
 wonderfully deep in fome places. It is fo rapid above 
 this Defcent, that it violently hurries down the wild 
 .Beafts while endeavouring to pafs it to feed on the 
 other llde, they not being able to withftand the force 
 of its Current, which inevitably calls them down 
 headlong above Six hundred foot. 
 
 This wonderful Downfall is compounded of two 
 great Crofs-ftreams of Water, and two Falls, with 
 an Ifle Hoping along the middle of it. The Waters 
 which fall from this vaft height, do foam and boil 
 after the mod hideous manner imaginable, making 
 an outrageous Noife, more terrible than that of 
 Thunder; for when the Wind blows from off the 
 South, their difmal roaring may be heard above fif¬ 
 teen Leagues off. 
 
 The River Niagara having thrown it felf down 
 this incredible Precipice, continues its impetuous 
 courfe for two Leagues together, to the great Rock 
 above-mention d, with an inexpreflible Rapidity : 
 But having pafsd that, its Impetuofity relents, gli¬ 
 ding 
 
a Large Country in America. 25 
 
 ding along more gently for two Leagues, till it ar¬ 
 rives at the Lake Ontario or Frontenac. 
 
 Any Barque or greater Veil'd may pafs from the 
 Fort to the foot of this huge Rode above-mention’d. 
 This Rock lies to the Weft ward, and is cut off from 
 the Land by the River Niagara, about two Leagues 
 farther down than the great Fall; for which two 
 Leagues the People are oblig’d to carry their Goods 
 over-land ; but the way is very good, and the Trees 
 are but few, and they chiefly Firrs and Oaks. 
 
 From the great Fall unto this Rock, which is to 
 the Weft of the River, the two Brinks of it are fo 
 prodigious high, that it would make one tremble to 
 look fteadily upon the Water, rolling along with a 
 Rapidity not to be imagin’d. Were it not for this 
 valt Catarad, which interrupts Navigation, they 
 might fail with Barks or greater Veffels, above Four 
 hundred and fifty Leagues further, crofs the Lake of 
 Hwons, and up to the farther end of the Lake Illinois ; 
 which two Lakes we may well fay are little Seas of 
 freih Water. 
 
 Sieur de la Salle had a defign to have built a Fort at 
 the Mouth of the River Niagara $ and might eafily 
 have compafs’d it, had he known how to have kept 
 himfelf within bounds, and to be Confin’d there for 
 one Year. His defign was to curb and keep under 
 the Iroquefe, and efpecially the Tfonnontouans, who are 
 the moft numerous People, and the mod given to 
 War of that all Nation. In fhort, fuch a Fort as this 
 might eafily have interrupted the Commerce betwixt 
 thefe People and the Englijh and Dutch in Nciv-Tork. 
 Their Cuftom is to carry to New-Tork the Skins of 
 Elks, Beavers, and feveral forts of Beafts, which they 
 hunt and feek after fome 2 or 500 Leagues from 
 their own home. Now they being oblig’d to pafs 
 and repafs near to this Mouth of the River Niagara , 
 we might eafily flop them by fair means in time of 
 
 Peace, 
 
 
2 6 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 Peace, or by open force in time of War; and thus 
 oblige them to turn their Commerce upon Canada. 
 
 But having obferv’d that the Iroejuefe were pu/h’d on 
 to flop the Execution of this Defign, not fo much by 
 the Englifh and Dutch , as by the Inhabitants of Co- 
 ?:adfi, who many of them endeavour’d by all means 
 to traverfe this our Difcovery ; they contented them- 
 felves to build a Houfe at the Mouth of the River 
 to the Eaftward, where the Place was naturally 
 fortifi’d. On one fide of this Houle there is a very 
 good Haven, where Ships may fafely ride j nay, by 
 the help of a Capftane, they may eafily be hail’d upon 
 Land. Befides, at this Place they take an infinite quan¬ 
 tity of Whitings, Sturgeons, and all other forts of 
 Fiihes, which are incomparably good and fweet $ in- 
 fomuch, that in the proper Seafon of Filhing, they 
 might furni/h the greateft City in Europe with plenty 
 of Fifh. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 A Defer jtion of the Lake Erie. 
 
 T H E Iroejuefe give to this Lake the Name of Erie 
 Tejocbarontiong , which extends it felf from Eaft 
 to Weft perhaps a hundred and forty Leagues in 
 Length. But no European has ever furvey’d it all; 
 only I and thofe who accompany’d me in this Difco- 
 very have view’d the greater Part of it, with a Vef- 
 lel of Sixty Tun burden, which we caus’d to be 
 made on purpolc, about two Leagues above the fore¬ 
 mention d Fall of Niagara, as I /hall have occafion to 
 oblerve more largely hereafter. 
 
 This Lake Erie, or Tejocbarontiong, encloles on its 
 Southern Bank a Tracft of Land as large as the King¬ 
 dom of France. It divides it felf at a certain place 
 into two Chanels, becaufe of a great Ifland enclos’d 
 ct wixt taem; Thus continuing its courfe for fourteen 
 
 Leagues, 
 
a Large Country in America. 27 
 
 Leagues, it falls into the Lake Ontario , or Frontenac , 
 and this is that which they call the River Niagara. 
 
 Betwixt the Lake Frie and Huron , there is almoft 
 fuch another Streight thirty Leagues long, which is 
 of an equal breadth almoft all over, except in the 
 middle, that it enlarges it felf by help of another 
 Lake, far lefs than any of the reft, which is of a 
 circular Form about fix Leagues over, according to 
 the Obfervation of our Pilot. We gave it the Name 
 of Lake St. Claire , though the IroejueJe, who pafs over 
 it frequently when they are upon Warlike Expediti¬ 
 ons, call it Otfi Keta. The Country which borders 
 upon this molt agreeable and charming Streight, is a 
 pleafant Champagne Country, as I fhall relate after¬ 
 wards. All thefe different Rivers, which are diftin- 
 guilh’d by fo many different Names, are nothing elfe 
 but the Continuation of the great River St. Laurence j 
 and this Lake St. Claire is form’d by the fame. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 A Defer if tion of the Lake Huron. 
 
 T HE Lake Huron was fo call’d by the People of 
 Canada, becaufe the Savage Hurons, who inha¬ 
 bited the adjacent Country, us’d to have their Hair 
 fo burn’d, that their Head refembled the Head ot a 
 Wild Boar. The Savages themfelves call it the Lake 
 Karegnondy. Heretofore the Hurons liv’d near this Lake, 
 but the/have been in a great meafure deftroy’d by the 
 
 Iroquefe. ,, 
 
 The Circumference of this Lake may be reckon d 
 to be about Seven hundred Leagues, and its Length 
 Two hundred ; but the Breadth is very unequal. To 
 the Weft of it near its Mouth, it contains feveral 
 great Iflands, and is navigable all over. Betwixt this 
 Lake and that of the Illinois , we meet with another 
 
 / _^ Streight 
 
18 A New Difcovery of 
 
 Streight, which difcharges it felf into this Lake, be¬ 
 ing about Three Leagues long, and One broad, its 
 Courfe running Weft-North-Weft. 
 
 There is yet another Streight or narrow Canal to¬ 
 wards the upper Lake (that runs into this of Huron) 
 about Five Leagues broad, and Fifteen Leagues long, 
 which is interrupted by feveral Iflands, and becomes 
 narrower by degrees, till it comes at the Fall of St. 
 Mary. This Fall is a Precipice full of Rocks, over 
 which the Water of the upper Lake, which flows 
 thither in great abundance, cafts it felf with a moft 
 violent Impetuofity : Notwithftanding which, a Ca- 
 nou may go up it on one fide, provided the People 
 in it row vigoroufly. But the fafer way is to carry 
 the Canou over-land for fo little a fpace, together 
 with the Commodities that thofe of Canada carry thi¬ 
 ther to exchange with the Savages that live to the 
 Northward of the upper Lake. This Fall is call’d 
 the Fall of St. Mary Miffilimakinak. It lies at the 
 Mouth of the upper Lake, and difcharges it felf 
 partly into the Mouth of the Lake Illinois towards the 
 great Bay of Tuans ; all which /hall afterwards be 
 more fully difcours’d of, when I come to relate our 
 Return from IJfati. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 A Defcription of the Lake call'd by the Savages Illinouack, 
 and by the French, Illinois. 
 
 '» 
 
 Lake Illinois , in the Natives Language, fig- 
 nmes The Lake of Men j for the word Illinois flg- 
 nmes a Man of full Age in the vigour of his Tears. It 
 lies on the Weft of the Lake Huron , (landing North 
 and South, and is about a Hundred and twenty, or a 
 Hundred and thirty Leagues in Length, and Forty in 
 Breadth, being in Circuit about Four hundred 
 
 v Leagues. 
 
a Large Country in America; 2 9 
 
 Leagues. It is call’d by the Miami's , Mifchigonong > 
 that is. The Great Lake. It extends it felf from North 
 to South , and falls into the Southern-fide of the 
 Lake Huron j and is diftant from the upper Lake 
 about Fifteen or Sixteen Leagues, its Source lies near 
 a River which the Iroquefe call ILohio, where the Ri¬ 
 ver Mlamis difcharges it felf into the fame Lake, 
 
 It is navigable all over, and has to the Weftward 
 a great Bay call d the Bay of Tuans , by reafon that 
 the Savages who now inhabit the Land furrounding 
 this Bay, had deferred their former Habitation, be- 
 caufe of feme (linking (in French Tuans) Waters to¬ 
 wards the Sea that annoy’d them. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 A Jhort Defcription of the Upper Lake. 
 
 TTFIis Upper Lake runs from Eaft to Weft, and 
 A may have more than a Hundred and fifty 
 Leagues in length. Sixty in breadth, and Five hun¬ 
 dred in circuit. We never went quite over it, as 
 we did over all the others I’ve hitherto mention’d ; 
 but we founded fome of its greateft Depths, and it 
 refembles the Ocean, having neither Bottom nor 
 Banks. 
 
 I (hall not here ftay to mention the infinite num¬ 
 bers of Rivers that difcharge themfelves into this pro¬ 
 digious Lake, which together with that of Illinois, 
 and the Rivers that are fwallow’d in them, make 
 up the Source of that great River St. Laurence , which 
 runs into the Ocean at the Ifland of Ajjtsmption to¬ 
 wards Nan-found-land. We fail’d upon this River 
 about Six hundred Leagues from its Mouth to 
 its Source. 
 
 I’ve already obferv’d. That all thefe Lakes may 
 well be call’d Frelh-water Seas. They abound ex- 
 
 treamly 
 
^ o A New Difcovery of 
 
 treamly in Whitings, that are larger than Carps, and 
 wh ch ar€*extraordinary good ; nay, at Twenty or 
 Thircy Fathom Water, there are Salmon-Trouts 
 taken of Fifty or Sixty pound weight. It were ea- 
 fie to build on the Tides of thefe great Lakes, an 
 infinite Number of confiderable Towns, which might 
 have Communication one with another by Naviga¬ 
 tion for Five hundred Leagues together, and by an 
 inconceivable Commerce which would eftabliih it felf 
 among ’em. And to be fure, the Soil, if cultivated 
 by Europeans, would prove very fertile. Thofe that 
 can conceive the Largenefs and Beauty of thefe 
 Lakes, may eafily underftand, by the help of our 
 Map, what courfe we fleer’d in making the great 
 Difcovery hereafter mention’d. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 ‘ What is the Predominant Genius of the Inhabitants 
 of Canada. 
 
 TP H E Spaniards were the firft who difcover’d Ca- 
 nada ; but at their firft arrival, having found no¬ 
 thing confiderable in it, they abandon’d the Country, 
 and call’d it II Capo di Nada ; that is, A Cape of No¬ 
 thing ; hence by corruption fprung the Word Canada, 
 which we ufe in all our Maps. 
 
 Since I left that Country, I underftand that all 
 things continue very near in the fame State as they 
 were whiift. I refided there. Thofe who have the 
 Government of Canada committed to their Care, are 
 mov’d with fuch a malignant Spirit, as obliges all 
 who do not approve their Defign, to moan fecretly 
 before God. Men of Probity that are zealous for 
 Religion, find nothing there of what they expe&ed ; 
 but, on the contrary, fuch Repulfes and ill Ufage, 
 that no body could have foreleen. Several relort 
 
 thither 
 
a Large Country in America. 31 
 
 thither, with' a defign to Sacrifice their Repofe and 
 Life, to the Temporal and Spiritual Succour of an 
 Infant-Church j but the lofs of Reputation and Ho¬ 
 nour, are. the Sacrifices they’re after all forc’d to 
 make. Others go thither in the hopes of Ipending 
 their Lives in Peace and perfed Concord; whereas 
 they meet with nothing but Jarrs, Divifions, and a 
 Sea of Troubles. In lieu of their fair Hopes, they 
 reap nothing but CrolTes and Perfecution; and all 
 for not pleafing the Humours of Two or Three 
 Men, who are the over-ruling Wits of that Coun¬ 
 try. What a vaft difparity diltance there is bet,wixt 
 the Humor of thefe Men, and our Flemijh Sincerity! 
 
 I mean that Candour and Evennefs of MincT which 
 make up the true Character of a Chriftian, and is 
 obferv’d every where elfe. 
 
 But without entring farther into any Particulars, 
 
 I leave the Judgment of all unto God; and fhall 
 only fay, that we who are Flemings by Birth, went 
 to Canada without any other private Defign, having 
 renounc’d our Native Country, meerly for the Ser¬ 
 vice of our Religion, after having quitted all other En¬ 
 joyments for embracing a Religious Profeflion. And 
 therefore it was not a lmall Surprize to us, upon our 
 arrival in that Country, to fee our Sincerity and 
 Uprightnefs of Heart fo forrily entertain’d. There, 
 is a certain fort of People, who are jealous of eve¬ 
 ry thing, and whom it is impoflible to retrieve from 
 under the firfl: impreflions they’ve receiv’d. , Though 
 a Man were never fo complailant, yet if he be not 
 altogether of their Stamp, or if he endeavours to 
 reprefent Things fairly and rationally unto them, tho’ 
 with wife and foft Remonftrances, yet fhall he pafs 
 among ’em for a Fellow of a turbulent Spirit. Such 
 Condud as this, does not favour of Chriftianity, 
 neither doth it befpeak any other Profped than that 
 of temporal Intereft. This Confideration mov’d me 
 oft-times to fay to the Three Flemijli Monks I had 
 
 brougl t 
 
3 2 A New Difcovery of 
 
 brought to Canada with me, that it had been much 
 better for us who had quitted all our Enjoyments, 
 and exchang’d them for the Poverty of a Mona- 
 
 ftick Life, to have gone in Million among Strangers, 
 to preach Repentance to Infidels, and propagate the 
 Kingdom of our Saviour among barbarous Nations. 
 
 And indeed kind Providence feconded my good 
 Intentions; for the Reverend Father Germain Allart 
 Recollet, late Bilhop of Fence in Provence, fent me 
 Orders to undertake the Difcovery which I am about 
 to relate. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 A Defcription of my firfi Imbarkment in a Canow at 
 Quebec, the Capital City of Canada, being bound for 
 the South-Weft of New-France, or Canada. 
 
 I Remain’d Two Years and a half at Fort Fronte- 
 tenacj til) I faw the Houle of Miffton finilh’d,that 
 Father Luke Buiffet and I had caus’d to be built there. 
 This engag’d us in Travels, which infeparably at¬ 
 tend New Eftablifiiments. Accordingly we went in 
 a Canou down the River St. Laurence j and after a 
 Hundred and twenty Leagues failing, arriv’d at 
 Quebec, where I retir’d into the Recollets Convent of 
 St. Mary, in order to prepare and fanCtifie my felf 
 for commencing our Difcovery. 
 
 And indeed I muft frankly own, that when at 
 the foot of the Crofs I penfively confider’d this im¬ 
 portant Million, weighing it in the Scales of Hu¬ 
 mane Reafon, and meafuring the weight of its Dif¬ 
 ficulties by Humane Force, it leem’d altogether a 
 terrible, as well as a ralh and inconfiderate Attempt. 
 But when I look’d up to GOD, and view’d it as 
 an effe<fl of his Goodnels, in chufing me for fo 
 great a Work, and as his Commandment dire&ed 
 
a Large Country in America. 3 3 
 
 to me by the Mouth of my Superiours, who are 
 the Inllruments and Interpreters of his Will unto 
 me: Thefe Thoughts, I fay, prefently infpird me 
 with Courage and Refolution to undertake this 
 Difcovery, with all the Fidelity and Conflancy 
 imaginable. 
 
 I perfiiaded my felfj that fince it was the peculiar 
 Work of God, to open the hard Hearts of that bar¬ 
 barous People, to whom I was fent to publilli the 
 glad Tidings of his Golpel, it were as eaiie for him 
 to compafs it by a feeble Inftrument, fuch as I was 
 as by the molt worthy Perfon in the World. 
 
 Haying thus prepar’d my felf to enter upon the 
 difeharge of my Miffim, and feeing that thofe who 
 were expeded from Europe to bear part in this Difco- 
 very were now arriv’d; that the Pilate, Seamen, 
 and Ship-Carpenters were in readinefs, and that the 
 Arms, Goods, and Rigging for the Ships were all 
 at hand ; 1 took with me From our Convent a por- 
 tablor Chapel all compleat for my felf, and after¬ 
 wards went and receiv’d the Benediction of the Bi- 
 Ihop of Quebec together with his Approbation in 
 Writing ; which I likewife receiv’d of Count Fron- 
 who was a Man that teftify’d a great deal of 
 Affedion for our Flemijh Recolleds, becaufe of our 
 Candour and Ingenuity ; and who was pleas’d to 
 give publick 1 eftimonia to the Generality of my 
 Undertaking, while we were let at Table. 
 
 In /hort, I embark’d in a little Canou made of 
 the Barks of Birch-Trees, carrying nothing along 
 withme fave my portable Chapd, one Blanket, and 
 a Matt of Ruflies, which was to ferve me for Bed 
 and Quilt; and this was the whole of my Equipage 
 It was concerted fo, that I fliould go off fi. il, that 
 mv Departure might oblige the reft to expedite their 
 Affairs with fpeed. The Inhabitants of Canada, up¬ 
 on both fides the River of St. Laurence, betwixt Que¬ 
 bec and Mowed) entreated me to officiate among 
 
34 A New Difco'very of 
 
 them., and adtninifter th*e Sacraments : For they 
 could not aflilt at Divine Service oftner than five or 
 fix times a Year, becaufe there were only Four Mif- 
 fionaries in that Country for the extent of Fifty 
 Leagues. 
 
 I baptiz’d a Child at a certain Place call’d St. Hour, 
 and acquainted the abfent Miflionary of the Place 
 with the fame; which done, I continu’d my Voyage; 
 and as I pafs’d by Harpentinie , the Lord of the 
 Place of one of the ancienteft Families in Canada, 
 would have fent one of his Sons along with me ; 
 but the Canou was too narrow for Four Perlons. 
 
 At length I arriv’d at Trots Rivieres, which is a Town 
 only furrounded with Palifado’s, lying about Thirty 
 Leagues higher than Quebec. Not meeting there Fa- 
 ' ther Sixte, a Recollet-Millionary, who was gone from 
 thence in Million, the Inhabitants befeech’d me to 
 preach and perform Divine Service on the Firft of 
 OBobcr. The next day, the Sieur Bonivet, Lieute¬ 
 nant-General Jufticiary of that Place, convey’d me 
 a League up the River St. Laurence. 
 
 The molt laudable Enterprizes are oft-times retard¬ 
 ed by furprizing and unexpected Obftacles ; for 
 when I arriv’d at Monreal, they debauch’d and en-' 
 tic’d away my Two Boat-Men ; fo that I was forc’d 
 to take advantage of an offer which two other Men 
 made to conduct me along in their little flutter’d 
 Boat. Thus was it that thofe who envy’d the Suc- 
 cefs of my Undertaking, began to fet themfelves 
 in oppolition to it, and endeavour’d to hinder the 
 molt confiderable and famous Difcovery that has 
 been made in that New World in this Age. 
 
 In going up the River, as I pafs’d the Lake 
 of St. Lems , a little above the Ille of Monreal, 
 which is about Twenty five Leagues in circumfe- j 
 rence, I oblerv’d that this River St. Laurence divides 1 
 it felf into Two Branches; of which one leads to 
 the ancient Country of the Hwrms , the QutaouaBs, . 
 
 and 
 
a Large Country in America. 3 j 
 
 and feveral other Nations fituate to the Northward • 
 and the other to the Country of the Iroquefe " We 
 went up this laft for about Sixty Leagues, in moft ra¬ 
 pid and horrible Currents, lull of «eat Rocks 
 where the Water roars Night and Day like Thun¬ 
 der, for Three or Four Leagues together. All 
 which does not hinder the Boat-Men and their Ca- ’ 
 nou’s to defcend down among thefe huge Rocks 
 with fo much fwiftnefs, that thofe who are in the 
 Canou are for the time quite blinded. They gene¬ 
 rally carry Elks-Claws and Shins with them, which 
 they exchange for other Goods, with the Savages 
 of that Country. 
 
 I /hall not offer to give any circumftantial Ac¬ 
 count of the Accidents that befel me, which are 
 infeparable Companions of all great Voyages: What 
 is needful to be faidis. That I arriv’d at Fort Cata- 
 rokouy , or Frontenac, about Eleven a Clock at Night, 
 the next Day after All-Saints ; where our Recollet- 
 Fathers, Gabriel de la Ribourde, and Luke Buijjet, Mif- 
 iionaries, receiv’d me with all Expreflions of Joy in¬ 
 to our Houfe of Million, which we had caus’d to 
 be built the Year before, upon the brink of the 
 Lake Ontario , near to Fort Frontenac. This Fort 
 lies about forty four Degrees and fome Minutes 
 of Northern Latitude. 
 
 I had forgot to acquaint you, that this Lake On¬ 
 tario is form’d by the River St. Laurence, and that it 
 is deep enough for large Velfels; for at fcvcnty Fa¬ 
 thom we could difcern no Ground. The Waves 
 there are tofs’d by mighty Winds which are very 
 frequent ; and their Surges are full as high as thofe 
 of the Sea, but much more dangerous ; for they 
 are fhorter and fteeper ; fo that a Vcffel riding along 
 .cannot yield and keep touch with ’em. There are 
 likewife fome very plain appearances of a Flux and 
 Reflux j for they obferve the Water to flow and ebb 
 
 D 2 by 
 
3 6 A New 'Difcovery of 
 
 by little Tides, and that it flows oft-times againft the 
 
 Wind when very high. 
 
 The Fiihing of this Lake, as of all the other 
 Lakes before-mention’d, is very confiderable for all 
 manner of excellent Fifties, efpecially for Salmon- 
 Trouts, which are there much bigger than our big- 
 geft Salmons. The adjacent Country is very fertile, 
 as is confirm’d by the Experience of thofe who cul¬ 
 tivated it in feveral places. There is excellent Game 
 there for all forts of Wild Beafts and Wild Fowl: 
 Their Forefts are replenifh’d with the prettieft Trees 
 in the World, Pines, Cedars, and Epinetes, (a fort of 
 Firr-tree very common in that Country.) They 
 have likewife very good Iron-Mines; and no doubt 
 but other Metals might be found if fought after. 
 
 While I abode at Catarokouy, waiting the coming 
 up of the reft of our Company, I had time to con¬ 
 fer with the Reverend Fathers of our Order, concern¬ 
 ing what Meafures we were to take for converting 
 unto Chrift Jefus, fuch a numerous Train of Na¬ 
 tions that' had never heard of the Gofpel; for it is 
 certain, that fuch poor helplefs Priefts as we of the 
 Francifcan Order, deftitute of all temporal Enjoy¬ 
 ments, and cut off from all Humane Means and 
 Affiftance, cannot be too cautious in managing the 
 Concerns of fo important a Miffion, becaufe of the 
 infinite variety of the Tempers of thofe that were 
 to accompany us in this Voyage; for we had in com¬ 
 pany fome Flemings , forne Italians , and fome Nor¬ 
 mans, who were all of different Interefts; and it 
 was a very difficult Task for us to comply.with, and 
 pleafe fo many different Humours ; efpecially when 
 engaged in fuch a Voyage as this, in which Laws 
 could not be obferv’d with the fame Exa&nefs, or 
 retain the fame Rigour as in Europe, where Men 
 may be entic’d to Good, and fear’d from Evil, 
 by the Love of Rewards or fear of Puniftiment. 
 But I refign’d my feif wholly to the Exercife of 
 
 ^ my 
 
ci Large Country in America. 37 
 
 my Duty, leaving the Conduct of all unto God’s 
 Providence, and being ready to encounter whatever 
 Accidents might fail in my way. 
 
 The Iroquefe whom we had brought to fettle near 
 this Fort (as was above ^related) came oft-times to 
 vifit us, and made us Prefents of the Flefh of Elks, 
 and Roe-bucks; in lieu of which we gave "’em lit¬ 
 tle Knives and fbme Tobacco, which we had for 
 that purpofe. Thefe Savages, when they reflected 
 upon our defigned Voyage, us’d to clap their Four 
 Fingers on their Mouths (as they generally do when 
 touch’d with the Admiration of any thing they can¬ 
 not comprehend) and cry’d hloud, Otcbitagon , Gan- 
 norrn ! that is. Bare-Feet, what ye are about to under¬ 
 take, is of great Importance : And added, that their 
 moft valiant Adventurers had much ado to extri¬ 
 cate themfelves out of the hands of thofe barbarous 
 Nations we were going to vifit. It is certain, that 
 the Iroquefe had a moft tender Refpecft for the Fran- 
 eifean Monks, having obferv’d them to live all in 
 common, without referving any particular Pof- 
 feflions. 
 
 The Food of the Iroejuefe is in common among 
 ’em. The ancienteft Women in the Houfe diftribute 
 about to the other Perfons in the Family according to 
 their Seniority. When they fit at their Meals, they 
 give freely to eat unto all that come into their 
 Ffoufes; for they would rather chufe to fall for a 
 whole Day, than fuffer any one to go from their 
 Houles, without offering them a fhare of whatever 
 they had. 
 
 The Sieur de la Salle arriv’d at the Fort fome time 
 after me: God preferv’d him (as he did me) from 
 the infinite Dangers he was expos’d to in this great 
 Voyage betwixt Quebec and. the Fort, having paf's’d 
 the great fall of Water mention’d laft, and l'everal 
 other moft rapid Currents in his way thither. The 
 fame Year he fent oiFFifteen of our Boat-men, who 
 
 D 3 were 
 
3 8 A New Vifcovery of 
 
 . were to go before us. They made as if they had been 
 going in their Canou towards the Illinois, and the o- 
 ther Neighbouring Nations that border upon the Ri¬ 
 ver, call'd by the Illinois, Mefchajipi ; that is, a great 
 Rivers which Name it h^s in the Map. All this 
 was only to fecure to us a good Correlpondence with 
 the Savages, and to prepare for us in that Country 
 fome Provifions, and other Neceft.uics, to further 
 this Difcovery. But there being among them fome 
 villainous Fellows, they flopp’d in the upper Lake at 
 Miffilimakinak, and diverted themfelves with the Sa¬ 
 vages that live to the Northward of that Lake, lavilh- 
 ing and {quandering away the beft of the Commo¬ 
 dities they had taken with ’em, inftead of provi¬ 
 ding fuch Things as were needful for building a Ship, 
 which we greatly wanted in order to pafs from Lake 
 to Lake to the River Mefchafipi. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 A Defcription of my fecond Imbarkment at Fort Fl'OIT- 
 tenack, in a Brigantine upon the Rake Ontario or 
 Frontenac. 
 
 J 
 
 T Hat very fame Year, on the Eighteenth of No¬ 
 vember, 1 took leave of our Monks at Fort Fron- 
 tenac, and after mutual Embraces and Expreffions 
 of Brotherly and Chriftian Charity., I embark d in 
 a Brigantine of about ten Tuns. The Winds and 
 the Cold of the Autumn were then vety violent, jn- 
 fomuch that our Crew was afraid to go into fo lit¬ 
 tle a Vefiel. This oblig’d us and the Sieur de la 
 Motte our Commander, to keep our courfe on the 
 North-fide of the Lake, to Ihelter our felves under 
 the Coaft, againft the North-weft Wind, which o- 
 therwife wou’d have forc’d us upon the* Southern 
 Coaft of tire Lake. This Voyage prov’d very diffi- 
 
a Large Country in America. 
 
 cult and dangerous, becaufe of the unfeafonable time 
 of the Year, Winter being near at hand. 
 
 On the i6tb, we were in great danger about Two 
 large Leagues off the Land, where we were oblig’d 
 to lie at an Anchor all that Night at fixty Fathom 
 Water and above ; but at length the Wind coming to 
 the North-Eaft, we fail’d oh, and arriv’d fafely 5 at 
 the further end of the Lake Ontario, call’d by the 
 Iroe/uefe , Skamadario. ^ We came pretty near to one 
 of their Villages call d Tajajagon , lying about Seven* 
 ty Leagues from Fort Frontenac , or Catarokouy. 
 
 *We barter’d fome Indian Corn with the Iroquefe, 
 who could not fufficiently admire us, and came fre¬ 
 quently to fee us on board our Brigantine, which 
 fc* our greater fecurity, we had brought to an 
 Anchor into a River, though before we could get 
 in, we run a ground three times, which oblig’d us 
 to put Fourteen Men into Canou’s, and caft the Ba- 
 laft of our Ship over-board to get her off again. 
 That River falls into the Lake; bur for fear of be¬ 
 ing frozen up therein, we were forc’d to cut the 
 Ice with Axes and other Inftruments. 
 
 The Wind turning then contrary, we were oblig’d 
 to tarry there till the 15 'th of December , 1678. when 
 we fail'd from the Northern Coaft to the Southern, 
 where the River Niagara runs into the Lake; but 
 could not reach it that Day, though it is but Fifteen 
 or Sixteen Leagues diftant, and therefore caft Anchor 
 within Five Leagues of the Shore, where we had ve¬ 
 ry bad Weather all the Night long. 
 
 On the 6th. being St. Nicholas' sDay, we got into 
 the fine River Niagara, into which never any fuch 
 Ship as ours enter’d before. We fung there Te Deum, 
 and other Prayers, to return our Thanks to God 
 Almighty for our proiperous Voyage. The Iroquefe 
 Tjonnontouans inhabiting the little Village, fituated at 
 the mouth of the River, took above Three Hundred 
 Whitings, which are bigger than Carps, and the 
 
 P 4 ^ belt 
 
. -> A Hew DifcoVery of 
 
 beft relifh’d, as well as the wholefomeft Fifli in the 
 World; which they prefented all to us, imputing 
 their good Luck to our Arrival. They were much 
 furprized at our Ship, which they call d the great 
 ivoodden Canou. 
 
 On the 7 th, we went in a Canou two Leagues up 
 the River, to look for a convenient Place for Build¬ 
 ing ; but not being able to get the Canou farther 
 up, becaufe the Current was too rapid for us to 
 mafter, we went over land about three Leagues high¬ 
 er, though we found no Land fit for culture. We 
 lay that Night near a River, which runs from the 
 Weftward, within a League above the great Fall of 
 j Niagara, which, as we have already faid, is the 
 greateft in the World. The Snow was then a Foot 
 deep, and we were oblig’d to dig it up to make room 
 for our Fire. 
 
 The next day we return’d the fame way we went, 
 and faw great Numbers of Wild Goats, and Wild 
 Turkey-Cocks, and on the nth, we faid the firft 
 Mafs that ever was faid in that Country. The Car¬ 
 penters and the reft of the Crew were fet to work; 
 but Monlieur de la Mctte, who had the Direction of 
 them, being not able to endure the Fatigues offo 
 .laborious a life, gave over his Defign, and return’d 
 to Canada , having about two hundred Leagues to 
 travel. 
 
 Tho 12 th, i ith, and i^th, the Wind was not fa¬ 
 vourable enough to fail up the River as far as the ra¬ 
 pid Current above mention’d, where we had re- 
 folv’d to build fome Houfes. 
 
 Whofoever confiders our Map, will eafily fee, that 
 this New Enterprise of building a Fort and fome 
 Houfes on the River Niagara , befides the Fort of 
 Frcntenac, was like to give Jealoufie to the Iroquefe , 
 and even to the Englifn, who live in this Neighbour¬ 
 hood, and have a great Commerce with them. 
 Therefore tp prevent the ill Confequences of it, it 
 
a Large Country in America. 41 
 
 was thought fit to fend an Embaffie to the Iroquefe, as 
 it will be mention’d in the next Chapter. 
 
 The 1 <;th, I was defir’d to fit at the Helm of our 
 Brigantine, while three of our Men hail’d the fame 
 from the Shore with a Rope; and at laft we brought 
 her up, and moor’d her to the Shore with a Haller, 
 near a Rock of a prodigious heighth, lying upon the 
 rapid Currents we have already mention’d. The 17th, 
 18th, and 19th, we were bufie in making a Cabin 
 with Palifadoes, to ferve for a Magazine; but the 
 Ground was fo frozen, that we were forced to throw 
 leveral times boiling water upon it to facilitate the 
 beating in and driving down the Stakes. The 20th, 
 21ft, 22d, and 23d, our Ship was in great danger to 
 be dalh’d in pieces, by the vaft pieces of Ice that were 
 hurl’d down the River j to prevent which, our Car¬ 
 penters made a Capftane to hall her alhore ; but our 
 great Cable broke in three pieces; whereupon one of 
 our Carpenters furrounded the Veffel with a Cable, 
 and ty’d to it feveral Ropes, whereby we got her a- 
 Ihore, tho’ with much difficulty, and lav’d her from 
 the danger of being broke to pieces, or carried a- 
 way by the Ice, which came down with an ex- 
 tream violence from the great Fall of Niagara. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 An Account of the EmbaJJie to the Iroquefe Tfonnon- 
 touans. 
 
 T Hefe Savages being the moll numerous Nation 
 of that Country, it was requifite to avoid giv¬ 
 ing them any manner of fufpicion : and in order 
 thereto, we thought fit to prepoffels thofe of the 
 little Village of Niagara with a favourable opinion of 
 our Defign : We told them, that we did not intend 
 to build a Fort on the Bank of their River Niagara , 
 
 but 
 
\y * 
 
 42 ^ New Difcovery of 
 
 but only a grear Hanger or Store-houfe, to keep the 
 Commodities we had brought to fupply their Occa- 
 fions. We accompany’d our Difcourle with fome 
 fmall Prefents, and told them that we Ihould re¬ 
 main with them, while Six or Seven of our Com¬ 
 pany went to the great Village of the Tfonnmtouans } 
 to treat with their chief Captains. And truly it was 
 abfolutely necelTary to go thither, to remove the 
 Sufpicion the Enemies of our Difcovery had fug- 
 gefted to that People concerning our Detlgns. 
 
 As I was building a little Cabin of Bark, to per¬ 
 form Divine Service therein, M. de la Motte , who 
 was ftill with us, defir’d me to accompany him in 
 his Embafiie, which I was very unwilling to comply 
 with j and therefore intreated him to fuffer me to 
 ftay there with the greater number of our Men. 
 But notwithftanding the Arguments I us’d, he told me 
 that he was refolv’d to take along with him 7 Men 
 out of 1 f>. that we were in all; that I underftood 
 in a manner the Language of their Nation, having 
 been often in conference with them at the Fort of 
 Frontenac ; that the Glory of God was concern’d in 
 this Undertaking ; that he would not truft thole that 
 were to accompany him ; and in Ihort, that if our 
 Enterprise Ihould mifcarry upon that account, the 
 Blame would lie at my door. Thefe with fome 
 other fecret Reafons, oblig’d me to comply with his 
 Defire, and to follow him. 
 
 We travell'd with Shooes made after the Indian 
 way, of a fingle Skin, but without Soles, becaufe 
 the Earth was ftill cover’d with Snow, and pad 
 through Forefts for thirty two Leagues together, 
 carrying upon our Backs our Coverings and other 
 Baggage, lying often in open Field, and having 
 with us no other Food but fome roafted Indian 
 Corn : ’Tis true, we met upon our Road lonie 
 Irocjuefe a hunting, who gave us fome wild Goats, 
 and fifteen or fixteen black Squirrils, which are ex¬ 
 cellent 
 
a Large Country in America. 45 
 
 cellent Meat. However, after five Days Journey, 
 we came to Tagarondies, a great Village of the Iro- 
 muefe Tfomonmans, and were immediately carry’d to 
 the Cabin of their Principal Chief, where Women 
 and Children flock’d to fee us, our Men being very 
 well dreftand arm’d. An old Man having accord¬ 
 ing to Cuftom made publick Cries, to give Notice 
 of our arrival to their Village; the younger Savages 
 wafh’d our Feet, which afterwards they rubb d over 
 with the Greafe of Deers, wild Goats, and other 
 
 Beafts, and the Oil of Bears. ' 
 
 The next Day, which was the Firit 01 the Year 
 1679. after the ordinary Service, I preach d in a 
 little Chapel made of Barks of Trees, in prefence of 
 two Jefuites, viz.. Father Gamier and Rrfeix ; and 
 afterwards we had a Conference with 42 old Men, 
 who make up their Council. Thefe Savages are for 
 the moft part tall, and very well lhap d, cover d with a 
 fort of Robe made of Beavers and Wolves-Skins, or 
 of black Squirrels, holding a Pipe or Calumet m their 
 Hands. The Senators of Venice do not appear with a 
 eraver Countenance, and perhaps don tjpeak with 
 more Majefty and Solidity, than thofe ancient 
 
 1 °This Nation is the moft cruel and barbarous of all 
 America, efpec'ially to their Slaves, whom they take 
 above two or three hundred Leagues from their 
 Country, as I fliall ftiew in my Second \ olume; 
 however, I muft do them the Juftice to obferve, 
 that they have many good Qualities; and mat they 
 love the Europeans, to whom they fell their Commo¬ 
 dities at very reafonable Rates. They have a mor¬ 
 tal Hatred for thofe, who being too felf-intereited 
 and covetous, are always endeavouring to inrich 
 themfelves to the Prejudice of others. Their chic 
 Commodities are Beavers-Skins, which they bring 
 from above a hundred and fifty Leagues off their 
 Habitations, to exchange them with the Englijh and 
 
44 ^ New Difctivery of 
 
 Dutch, whom they affeft more than the Inhabitants 
 of Canada, became they are more affable, and fell 
 them their Commodities cheaper. 
 
 One of our own Men, nam'd Anthony Brojftard, 
 who underftood very well the Language of the Iro~ 
 quefe, and therefore was Interpreter to M. de la Motte, 
 told their Affembly, 
 
 Fir ft. That we were come to pay them a Vifit, 
 and fmoak with them in their Pipes, a Ceremony 
 which I fhall delcribe anon: And then we deli¬ 
 ver’d our Prefents, confiding of Axes, Knives, a 
 great Collar of white and blue Porcelain, with 
 fome Gowns. We made Prefents upon every Point 
 we propos’d, to them, of the fame nature as the 
 former. 
 
 Secondly, We defil’d them, in the next place to 
 give Notice to the five Cantons of their Nation, that 
 we were about to build a Ship, or great woodden 
 Canow above the great Fall of the River Niagara, to 
 go and fetch European Commodities by a more con¬ 
 venient paffage than the ordinary one, by the River 
 St. Laurence, whole rapid Currents make it dangerous 
 and long; and that by tliefe means we fhould af¬ 
 ford them our Commodities cheaper than the En¬ 
 glish and Dutch of Bofton and New-York. This Pre¬ 
 tence was fpecious enough, and very well contriv’d 
 to engage that barbarous Nation to extirpate the 
 Englijh and Dutch out of America : For they fuffer 
 the Europeans among them only for the Fear they 
 have of them, or elfe for the Profit they make in 
 Bartering their Commodities with them. 
 
 Thirdly, We told them farther, that we fliould pro¬ 
 vide them at the River Niagara with a Black-fmith 
 and a Gunfmith, to mend their Guns, Axes, &c. 
 having no body among them that underftood that 
 Trade, and that for the conveniency of their whole 
 Nation, we would fettle thole Workmen on the 
 Lake of Ontario, at the Mouth of the River Niagara. 
 
 We 
 
a Large Country in America.. 4j 
 
 W.e threw again among themfeven or eight Gowns, 
 and fome Pieces of fine Cloth, which they cover 
 themfelves with from the Waft to the Knees. This 
 was in order to 'engage them on our fide, and pre- 
 veht their' givitig ear to any who might fuggeft ill 
 things of us] ehtrfeafirig them firft to acquaint us 
 with the Reports-that fhould be made unto them to 
 our'Prejfidicey before they yielded their Belief to 
 the fame.' v " ' . 
 
 We added many other Reafons which we' thought 
 -proper to perfuade them to favour our Defign. The 
 Prefents we made unto them, either in Cloth or Iron, 
 were worth above 400 Livres, befides fome other 
 European Commodities, very fcarce in that Country: 
 For the beft Reafons in the World are not liftned 
 to among them, unlefs they are enforc’d with 
 Prefents. 
 
 I forgot to obferve, that before our Interpreter be¬ 
 gan to talk of thefe matters with the Council, M. de 
 la Motte order’d him to tell the Iroc/uefc, That he 
 would enter into no Particulars in prefence of Fa- 
 thei Gamier a Jefuite, whom he much fufpe&ed : 
 Whereupon the old Senators order’d the faid Father 
 to'withdraw. As I had a great Refpedt for him, I 
 went out likewife to bear part of the Affront put 
 upon him, and t<j let M. la Motte fee that he had no 
 reafon to defire me to go to the Council with him, 
 fince he had refolv’d to affront in my prefence a Je~ 
 fuite-Mifltonary, who was amongft that barbarous 
 Nation, without any other Defign but to inftruA 
 them in the Truth of the Gofpel. This was the 
 reafon- why I was not prefent in the Council the 
 firft Day that we acquainted the Iroejuefe with the fub- 
 je<£t of our Embaflie. I eafily obferv’d that M. la 
 Motte had been bred up amongft People profefs’d 
 Enemies of all Monks and Priefts ; from whence I 
 concluded, that he would lay upon me all the Over- 
 fighrs he might commit in his Negotiation : But I 
 
 thought 
 
4 6 A New Difcovery of 
 
 thought it was better he fliould be deceiv’d by thofe 
 he employ’d, than to be fo my felf; and therefore 
 would never meddle with any Temporal Concerns, 
 though earneftly defir’d by him and others. The 
 Iroquefe, and other wild Nations, had a great Love 
 for me upon that Account: They have fupply’d 
 me with Food for my fubfiftance, and reliev’d me 
 upon other Occafions, only becaufe they obferv’d I 
 was not guided by a private felf-Intereft ; and truly 
 whenever they made me any Prefents in return of 
 thofe I had made unto them, I immediately gave 
 them to their Children. 
 
 The next Day the Iroquefe anfwer’d our Difcourfe 
 and Prefents Article by Article, having laid upon the 
 Ground feveral little pieces of Wood, to put them in 
 mind of what had been faid the Day before in the 
 Council; their Speaker, or Prefident, held in his 
 Hand one of thefe Pieces of Wood, and when he had 
 anfwer’d one Article of our Propofal, he laid it 
 down, with fome Prefents of black and white Porce¬ 
 lain, which they ufe to firing upon the fmalleft Si¬ 
 news of Beafts; and then took up another Piece 
 of Wood ; and fo of all the reft, till he had fully 
 anfwer’d our Speech, of which thofe Pieces of Wood, 
 and our Prefents put them in mind. When his Dif¬ 
 courfe was ended, the oldeft Man of their Affem- 
 bly cry’d aloud for three times, Niaoua ; that is to 
 fay. It is veil, I thank thee ; which was repeated with 
 a full Voice, and in a tuneful manner by all the o- 
 ther Senators. 
 
 ’Tis to be obferv’d here, that the Savages, though 
 fome are more cunning than others, are generally all 
 addi&ed to their own Interefts; and therefore though 
 the Iroquefe feem’d to be pleas’d with our Propofals, 
 they were not really fo; for the Englijh and Dutch 
 affording them the European Commodities at cheaper 
 Rates than the French of Canada, they bad a greater 
 Inclination for them than for us. That People, tho’ 
 
a Large Country in America. 47 
 
 fo barbarous and rude in their Manners, have how¬ 
 ever a Piece of Civility peculiar to themfelves • for 
 a Man would be accounted very impertinent ’ifhe 
 contradided any thing that is faid in their Council, 
 and if he does not approve even the greateft Abfur- 
 dities therein propos’d; and therefore they always an- 
 fwer, Niaoua ; that is to fay. Thou art in the right* Bro¬ 
 Notwithftanding that feeming Approbation, they 
 believe what they pleafe and no more; and there¬ 
 fore ’tis impoflible to know when they are really 
 perfuaded of thofe things you have mention’d 
 unto them, which I take to be one of the greateft 
 Obftrudions to their Converfion ; For their Civility 
 hindring them from making any Objection, or con¬ 
 tradicting what is faid unto them, they feem to ap¬ 
 prove of it, though perhaps they laugh at it in pri¬ 
 vate, or elfe never beftow a Moment to refled upon 
 it, fuch being their Indifference for a future Life. 
 From thefe Obfervations, I conclude that the Con¬ 
 verfion of that People is to be defpair’d of, ’till they 
 are fubdu’d by the Europeans , and that their Children 
 have another fort of Education, unlefsGod be pleas’d 
 to work a Miracle in their Favour. 
 
 While we were ftill with the Iroqttefe , their Parties 
 made an Excurfion toward Virginia , and brought two 
 Prisoners with them, one whereof was Houtouagaha , 
 which in the Language of the Iroquefe , fignifies a tal¬ 
 kative or babling Fellow, and the other" of the Na¬ 
 tion of Ganniefftnga , whither fome Englijh Francifcans 
 were fent Miffionaries. The Iroquefe fpar’d the Life 
 of this laft, but put to deal'll the former, with fuch 
 exquifite Torments, that Nero, Domitian , and Maxi* 
 milian,never invented the like, to exercife the Patience, 
 of the Martyrs of the Primitive Church with all. 
 
 They ufe commonly that Inhumanity towards all 
 the Prifoners they take in their Warlike Expeditions; 
 but the worft of it is, that their Torments laft 
 
 v fome- 
 
^g A New DifcoVery of 
 
 fometitnes a Month. When they have brought them 
 into their Canton, they lay them upon fome pieces 
 of Wood, made like a St. Andrews Crofs, to which 
 they tie the Legs and Arms of thofe miferable 
 Wretches, and expofe them to Gnats and other 
 Flies, who fling them to death. The Children of 
 thofe barbarous Parents, cut pieces of Fleih out of 
 their Flanks, Thighs, or fome other part of their 
 Bodies; and when they have boyl’d it, force thofe 
 poor Wretches to eat thereof. The Iroquefe eat fome 
 pieces of it themfelves, as well as their Children; 
 and the better to infpire thofe little Canibals with 
 Hatred for their Enemies, and the defire to extir¬ 
 pate them, they give them their Blood to drink in 
 fome little Porrengers made of Barks of Trees. Thus 
 do thefe poor Creatures end their Life after a long 
 and unfpeakable Torment. 
 
 That horrid Cruelty oblig’d us to leave the Ca¬ 
 bin, or Cotage of the chief Captain of that barba¬ 
 rous People, to fliew them the Horrour we had of 
 their Inhumanity, and never eat with them lince, 
 but return’d the fame way we went through the 
 Woods to the River Niagara. And this was all the 
 fuccefs of our Ambaflie. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 A Defcription of a Ship of Sixty Tuns, which we built near 
 the Streights of the Lake Erie , during the Winter and 
 Spring of the Tear* 1679. 
 
 O N the 14th of January we arrived at our Habi¬ 
 tation of Niagara, very weary of the Fatigues 
 of our Voyage. We had no other Food but Indian 
 Corn ; but by good luck for us, the Fi/hery of the 
 Whitings, I have already fpoken of, was then in fea- 
 fon, and made our Indian Corn more relilhing. We 
 
 made 
 
a Large Country in America. 49 
 
 made ufe of the Water, in which the Fifh was boil¬ 
 ed, inftead of Broth of Meat; for when it grows 
 cold in the Pot, it congeals it felf like forne Veal- 
 Broth. 
 
 On the 20th arrived M. Je la Salle from Fort Frcn- 
 tenac, from whence he was fent with a great Barque 
 to fupply us with Proviftons, Rigging, and Tackling 
 for the Ship we defign’d to build at the Mouth of the 
 Lake Erie j but that Barque was unfortunately caft 
 away on the Southern Coaft of the Lake Ontario, by 
 the fault of two Pilots, who could not agree about 
 the Courfe they were to fteer, tho’ they were then 
 only within two Leagues of Niagara. The Sea-men 
 have call’d this Place the Mad-Cape. The Anchors 
 and Cables were fav’d, but feveral Canows made of 
 Barks of i rees with Goods and Commodities were 
 loft. Thefe difappointments were fuch as would have 
 diffwaded from any farther Enterprize all other Per- 
 fons but fuch who had form’d the generous Defign 
 of making a New Difcovery in the Country. 
 
 M. de la Salle told us, that before he loft his Barque, 
 he had been with the Iroquefe Tfonnovtouans, and had 
 lodexteroufly gain’d their Affedtion, that they had 
 talk d to him of our Embaflie with Applaufe, and 
 had given him their Confent for the Execution of our 
 Undertaking. This good Intelligence lafted but a 
 little while j for certain Perfons, who made it their 
 Bufinefs to crofs our Defign, infpir’d the Iroquefe with 
 many Sufpicions about the Fort we were building at 
 Niagara, which was in a great forwardnefs; and 
 their Sufpicions grew fo high, that we were oblig’d 
 to give over our Building for fome time, contenting 
 our lelves with an Habitation encompafs’d with Pa- 
 lifado’s. 
 
 On the 22th of the laid Month, we went two 
 Leagues above the great Fall of Niagara, where we 
 made a Dock for Building the Ship we wanted for 
 our Voyage. This was the moft convenient place 
 
 £ 
 
jo A New DiJcovery of 
 
 we could pitch upon, being upon a River which falls 
 into the Streight between the Lake Erie and the great 
 Fall of Niagara. The 2 6 th, the Keel of the Ship 
 and fome other Pieces being ready, M. de la Salle 
 fent the Mafter-Carpenter to defire me to drive in the 
 firft Pin ; but my ProfeflSon obliging me to decline 
 that Honour, he did it himfelf, and promis’d Ten 
 Louis d'Or’s, to encourage the Carpenter and further 
 the Work. The Winter being not half fo hard in 
 that Country as in Canada, we employ’d one of the 
 two Savages of the Nation call’d the Wolf, whom we 
 kept for Hunting, in building fome Cabins made of 
 Rinds of Trees; and I had one made on purpofe to- 
 perform Divine Service therein on Sundays , and other 
 occafions. 
 
 M. de la Salle having fome urgent Bufinefs of his 
 own, return’d to Fort Frontenac , leaving for our Com¬ 
 mander one Tonti, an Italian by Birth, who had been 
 forc’d to retire into France after the Revolution of 
 Naples, in which his Father was concern’d. I con¬ 
 duced M. de la Salle as far as the Lake Ontario , at the 
 Mouth of the River Niagara, where he order’d a 
 Houfe to be built for the Smith we had promis’d to 
 the Iroquefe ; but this was only to amuze them, and 
 therefore I cannot but own that the Savages are not 
 to be blam’d for having not believ’d every thing they 
 were told by M. la Motte in his Embaffie already re¬ 
 lated. 
 
 He undertook his Journey a-foot over the Snow, 
 having no other Provifions but a little Sack of In¬ 
 dian Corn roafted, which fail'd him two Days before 
 he came to the Fort, which is above fourfeore Leagues 
 d ill ant from the Place where he left us. However, he 
 got home fafely with two Men, and a Dog, who 
 dragg'd his Baggage over the Ice, or frozen Snow. ; 
 
 When I return’d to our Dock, I underftood that 
 moll of the Iroyuefe were gone to wage War with a 
 Nation on the other fide of the Lake Erie. In the 
 
 mean 
 
a Large Country in America] 
 
 mean time, our Men continu’d with great Applica¬ 
 tion to build our Ship ; for the Iroquefe who were left 
 behind, being but a fmail number, were not to in- 
 folent as before, though they came now and then to 
 our Dock, and exprefs’d fome Difcontent at what we 
 were doing. One of them in particular, feigning 
 himfelf drunk, attempted to kill our Smith, but was 
 vigoroufly repuls’d by him with a red-hot Iron-barr, 
 which, together with the Reprimand he receiv’d from 
 me, oblig’d him to be gone. Some few Days after, 
 a Savage Woman gave Us notice, that the Tfonnontou- 
 nns had refolv’d to burn our Ship in the Dock, and 
 had certainly done it, had we not been always upon 
 our Guard. 
 
 Thefe frequent Alarms from the Natives, together 
 with the Fears we were in of wanting Provifions, ha¬ 
 ving loft the great Basque from Fort Frontenac, which 
 fhouid have reliev’d us, and the Tfonnontouans at the 
 lame time refufing to give us of their Corn for Mo¬ 
 ney, were a great Dilcouragement to our Carpenters, 
 whom, on the other hand, a Villain amongft us en¬ 
 deavour d to (educe: That pitiful Fellow had (everal 
 times attempted to run away from us into New-York, 
 and would have been likely to pervert our Carpenters, 
 had I not confirm’d them in their good Refolution, 
 by the Exhortations I us’d to make every Holy-day 
 after Divine Service; in which I reprefented to them, 
 that the Glory of God was concern’d in our Under¬ 
 taking, befides the Good and Advantage of our Chri- 
 ftian Colonies; and therefore exhorted them to re¬ 
 double their Diligence, in order to free our (elves 
 from all thofe Inconveniencies and Apprehenfions we 
 then lay under. 
 
 The two Savages we had taken into our Service, 
 went all this while a Hunting, and fupply’d us with 
 Wild-Goats, and other Bealls for our Subfiftence ; 
 whidi encourag’d our Workmen to go on with their 
 Work more briskly than before, intomuch that in a 
 
 E 2 _ (hort 
 
51 A New DiJcovery of 
 
 Ihort time our Ship was in a readinefs to be launch’d; 
 which we did, after having blefs’d the fame accord¬ 
 ing to the ufe of the Romijh Church. We made all 
 the hafie we could to get it a-float, though not alto¬ 
 gether finifh’d, to prevent the Defigns of the Natives, 
 who had refolv’d to burn it. 
 
 The Ship was call’d the Griffin, alluding to the 
 Arms of Count Frontenac, which have two Griffins 
 for Supporters ; and befides, M. la Sal'e us’d to lay of 
 this Ship, while yet upon the Stocks, That he would 
 make the Griffin fly above the Ravens. We fir’d three 
 Guns, and fung Te Deum, which was attended with 
 loud Acclamations of Joy; of which thofe of the 
 Iroquefe, who were accidentally prefent at this Cere¬ 
 mony, were alfo Partakers; for we gave them fome 
 Brandy to drink, as well as to our Men, who imme¬ 
 diately quitted their Cabins of Rinds of Trees, and 
 bang’d their Hammocks under the Deck of the Ship, 
 there to lie with more lecurity than a-lhoar. We 
 did the like, inlomuch that the very lame Day we 
 were all on board, and thereby out of the reach of 
 the Infults of the Savages. 
 
 The Irequefe being return’d from Hunting Beavers, 
 were mightily furpriz’d to fee our Ship a-float, and 
 call’d us Otkon, that is in their Language, Moft pene¬ 
 trating IVits : For they could not apprehend how in 
 fo fhort a time we had been able to build fo great a 
 Ship, though it was but 6 o Tuns. It might have 
 • been indeed call’d a moving Fortrefs ; for all the 
 Savages inhabiting the Banks of thofe Lakes and Ri¬ 
 vers I have mention’d, for five hundred Leagues to¬ 
 gether, were fill’d with Fear as well as Admiration 
 when they law it. 
 
 The bell Defigns are often crols’d by lome unex¬ 
 pected Accidents, which God permits to happen, to 
 try Mens Conftancy, as I experienc’d at that time. 
 One of our Crew gave me notice, that the $geur de 
 Tonti our Commander entertain’d fome Jealoufie of 
 
 me, 
 
a Large Country in America. 5 j 
 
 it me .> becaufe I kept a Journal of all the confiderable 
 te Things that were tranfafted; and that he defign’d to 
 k take the ^ ame from me. This Advice oblig’d me to 
 ti ftand upon my Guard, and take all other Precauti- 
 [ij ons , to fecure my Obfervations, and remove the 
 Jealoufie that Gentleman had of me : For I had no 
 t . other Defign but to keep our Men to their Duty, 
 ft and to Exercifes of Piety and Devotion, for prevent- 
 fj ing Diforders, and for the furtherance of our Com- 
 ^ mon Undertaking. 
 
 jj. In the mean time, our Enemies fpread very dif- 
 r advantageous Reports of us in Canada, where we 
 [j were reprefented as raffi and inconliderate Perfons, 
 (, for venturing upon fo dangerous a Voyage, from 
 ; which, in their Opinion, none of us would ever re- 
 1 turn. This, together with the Difficulties we la¬ 
 bour’d under for tranfporting the Rigging of our 
 ■ Ship, and the other Inconveniencles neceflarily at¬ 
 tending a Voyage through an unknown Country, 
 Lakes, and Rivers, where no European had traveil’d 
 before, and the Oppofitions from the Iroejueje, wrought 
 in me an unparallel’d Vexation. But thefe Reports 
 were ftill more prejudicial to M. la Salle, whofe Cre- 
 , ' ditors, without enquiring into the Truth of the Mat¬ 
 ter, or expecting his Return from Fort Frontenac, 
 leiz’d all his Effe&s in Canada ; though that very Fort 
 alone, the Property whereof belong’d to him, was 
 worth twice more than all the Debts he ow’d. How¬ 
 ever, it being impoflible to flop the Mouth of our 
 Enemies, who had no other Defign, but to oblige us 
 to give over our Enterprize, notwithftanding the 
 Trouble and great Charge we had been at for our 
 Preparations, we refolv’d to wait with Patienee, the 
 Opportunities Divine Providence would prefent us 
 with, and to purfue with Vigour and Conftancy our 
 Defign. 
 
 Being thus prepar’d againft all Difcouragements, I 
 went up in a Canou with one of our Savages to the 
 
 E 3 Mouth 
 
54 A New Qifcovery of . 
 
 Mouth of the Lake Erie, notwithftanding the ftrong 
 Current which I matter'd with great difficulty. I 
 founded the Mouth of the Lake, and found, con¬ 
 trary to the Relations that had been made unto me, 
 that a Ship with a brisk Gale might fail up to the 
 Lake, and furmcunt the Rapidity of the Current { 
 and that therefore with a ttrong North, or North- 
 Eaft Wind, we might bring our Ship into the Lake 
 Erie. I took alfo a view of the Banks of die Streight, 
 and found that in cafe of need we might put feme 
 of our Men a-ffioar to hall the'Ship, if the Wind 
 was not ftrong enough. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 Tie Author's. Return to Fort Frontenac. 
 
 B Efore we could go on with our intended Difco- 
 very, I was oblig’d to return to Fort Frontenac, 
 to bring along with me two Monks of my own 
 Ol der, to help me in the Fun&ion of my Miniftry. 
 Heft cur Ship riding upon two Anchors, within a 
 league and a half of the Lake Erie , in the Streight, 
 between the faid Lake and the great Fall of Niagara. 
 Mr. Charon , art Inhabitant of Canada, defir’d to go 
 with me, to avoid the ill Ufige he receiv’d from 
 M. Tcnti, who was an irreconcileable Enemy of all 
 the Subjefts of the King of Spain, having been, as 
 he thought, hardly us’d by the Spaniards, in the Re¬ 
 volution of Naples, in .which he was concern d as 
 well as his Father. ■ '* 
 
 W'e embark’d in a Canou with one of our Sava¬ 
 ges, and fell down the Streight till we came to the 
 great Fall, where we went a-fhoar, and carry d 
 our-Canou over-land to the Foot of the great Rock 
 already mention’d, and from thence we continu d our 
 Courfe to the Mouth of the Lake Ontario, where 
 
 we 
 
 i 
 
a Large Country in America. 
 
 we found the Barque or Brigantine we have fpoken 
 of, which the Sieur la Forefi had brought from Fort 
 Frontenac. M. la Forefi having ipent iome Days in 
 that place for Bartering his Commodities with the 
 Natives, we embark'd on board his Brigantine, to¬ 
 gether with fifteen or fixteeo Savage Women, who 
 took the opportunity to fail forty Leagues by Wa¬ 
 ter, which otherwife they had been oblig’d to tra¬ 
 vel a-foot over-land through the Woods'; but they 
 not being us’d to this way of Travelling, fell fo 
 fick, that their vomiting created an infufterable Stink 
 in our Ship. Being arriv’d into the River of Aouegueti , 
 M. la Forefi exchang’d fome Brandy for Beaver-Skins; 
 but I mult confefs this Commerce of Strong-Waters 
 was never acceptable to me ; for if the Savages 
 drink but a little too much of that Liquor, they are 
 worfe and more dangerous than mad Men. Having 
 done our Bufinefs in that Place, we fail’d from the 
 Southern to the Northern Coafts of the La’ke; and 
 the Wind being favourable we quickly pafs'd by 
 the Village which lies on the other fide of Rente 
 and GaneuuJJe, but were becalm’d not far from 
 Fort Frontenac , which oblig’d me to get into a Ca- 
 nou with two Savages to manage it. We landed in 
 the Ifland of Goilans, fo nam’d from Sea-Fouls of that 
 Name, who abound in that Place, and lay their 
 Eggs upon the Sand, where they are hatch’d by the 
 Heat of the Sun. I carry’d away along with us four 
 Baskets full of them, which we found very reli/hing 
 in Omelets and Pancakes. 
 
 I was kindly receiv’d by four Mi/Itonaries of my 
 own Order that I found there, 'viz,. Father Gabriel 
 He la Ribounle, Luke Buiffet, Zenobc Mantbre , and Mili- 
 thon Watteau, all Natives of the Spanijb Netherlands. 
 They told me that they kneiw how much I had dif¬ 
 fer’d in my MiJJion during the Winter, and chiefly 
 from that Italian who deferted the Service of his Na¬ 
 tural Prince, that is Tonti I have already fpoken of. I 
 
 E 4 con- 
 
5 6 4 New Difcovery of 
 
 conceal’d part of the Difcouragements I had met 
 with, becaufe I defign’d to engage Fathers Gabriel 
 and Zcnobe in our Voyage, and alfo becaufe I knew 
 that M. lie la. Salle, whole Temper I was acquainted 
 with by my own Experience, made a conftant ufe 
 of this famous Maxim, Divide & infer a , to difpcfe 
 with a greater facility of the Men under him tocom- 
 pafs his own Deligns: And having as great a Paffi- 
 on as he to difcover fome New Countries, I thought 
 it heft to make no Complaints, which he took ve¬ 
 ry kindly , and receiv'd me in a very obliging 
 manner. 
 
 That Gentleman was Judicious, and of extraordi¬ 
 nary Parts, and very defirous to make himfelt fa¬ 
 mous by fome New Difcoveries, about which we had 
 frequent Conferences. He told me feveral times, 
 That he knew no Religious Order fo fit as ours for 
 improving New Colonies; and he was a very good 
 Judge in thbfe Matters, having fpenc nine or ten 
 Years in another Order, of which he had difingag’d 
 himfelf by Confent of the General, who in the A cl 
 of his Difmiflion under his own Hand, gives this 
 noble Character of him, That he had liv’d among!! 
 the Monks of his Order, without giving the leaft 
 fufpicion of Venial Sin. Thele are the very Words 
 of the Ad, for I have perus’d it my felf. He like- 
 vvife told me. That being perfuaded that we might 
 be very ufeful to him in his Defigns, he was refolv d 
 to do fomething in favour of our Order ; and having 
 call'd us together on the 27 th of May, 1679. he ac¬ 
 quainted us. That being Proprietary and Governor 
 of Fort Frontenac, he would order in his Will, That 
 no other religious Order but ours, fhould he fuffer d 
 to fettle themfelves near the Fort; he afterwards 
 mark’d out a Church-yard ; and having created a 
 pubiidk Norary, he order’d him to draw up an In- 
 ftrument, whereby the faid M. la Salle gave to our 
 Order tire Property of Eighteen Acres ol Ground 
 
 along 
 
a Large Country in America. 57 
 
 along the fide of the Lake Ontario near the Fort, and 
 above a Hundred Acres more in the next Foreft to 
 be clear’d and grubb’d up. We accepted this Gift in 
 the Name of our Order, and fign’d the Deed, which 
 wasthefirft that ever was tranfa&ed in that Country. 
 The Notary’s Name was la Meterie. 
 
 This being done, he defir’d thole Frt&cifcam that 
 were to come with me, to prepare themfelves for 
 their Voyage ; but the Wind being againft us, we 
 had a fufficient time for it, and to take our Mea¬ 
 sures concerning our dangerous Million. We made 
 frequent Vifits to the Savages, whom we had per- 
 fuaded to fettle themfelves near the Fort, who, toge¬ 
 ther with their Children, whom we had taught to 
 read and write, lamented much our Departure ; and 
 alfur’d us. That if we did return in a Ihort time, 
 they would perfuade the reft of the Inhabitants of 
 the Village of Ganeoujfe, to come and fettle themfelves 
 in the Neighbourhood of the Fort. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 An Account of our Second Embarkment from Fort 
 Frontenac. 
 
 A Fter fome few Days, the Wind coming fair, Fa¬ 
 thers Gabriel, Aenobe, and I, went on board the 
 Brigantine, and in a Ihort time arriv’d in the Ri¬ 
 ver of the Tfonmntouans , which runs into the Lake 
 Ontario, where we continu’d feveral Days, our Men 
 being very bufie in bartering their Commodities 
 with the Natives, who flock’d in great numbers a- 
 bout us to fee our Brigantine, which they admir’d, 
 and to exchange their Skins for Knives, Guns, 
 Powder and Shot, but efpecially for Brandy, which 
 they love above all things. In the mean time, we 
 had built a fmall Cabin of Barks of Trees about 
 
5 8 A New Tk(covery of 
 
 half a League in the Woods, to perform Divine Ser¬ 
 vice therein without interruptation } and waited till 
 all our Men had done their Bufinefs. M. la Salle ar¬ 
 riv’d in a Canou about eight Days after he had 
 taken his courfe by the Southern Coaft of the Lake, 
 to go to the Village of the Tfonnontouans ,. to whom he 
 made feve&U Prefents to engage them in our 
 Intereft, and remove the Jealoufie they had 
 conceiv’d of our Undertaking, through the Sug- 
 geftions of our Enemies. All thefe Impediments 
 retarded us fo long, that we could not reach the 
 River Niagara before the 50th of July. 
 
 On the 4th of the faid Month, I went over-land 
 to the Fall of Niagara, with a Serjeant call’d la Flew, 
 and thence to our Dock within fix Leagues of the 
 Lake Ontaria ; but we did not find there the Ship 
 we had built: And met with a new Misforturne ; 
 for two young Savages robb’d us of the Bisket we 
 had for our fubfiftance, which reduc’d us to great 
 Extremity. We found at laft a half rotten Canou 
 without Oars, which we mended as well as we could; 
 and having made an Oar, we \*:ntur’d our felvcs in 
 that weak and flutter'd Canou, and went up the 
 Streight to look for our Ship, which we round 
 riding within a league of the pleafant Lake Erie. 
 We were very kindly receiv’d, and like wife Very 
 glad to find our Ship well rigg’d, and ready fitted 
 out with all the Neceflai ies for failing. She carry’d 
 five fmall Guns, two whereof were Brals, and three 
 Harquebuze a-crock. The Beak-head was adorn’d 
 with a flying Griffin, and an Eagle above it; and 
 the reft of the Ship had the fame Ornaments as Men 
 of War ufe to have. 
 
 The Iroquefe were then returning Horn a Warlike 
 Expedition with feveral Slaves, and were much fur- 
 pnz’d “to fee fo big a Ship, which they compar’d to 
 a Fort, beyond their Limits. Several came on board, 
 and feem’d fo admire above all things the bignefs of 
 
a Large Country in America. 5 9 
 
 our Anchors; for they could not apprehend how 
 we had been able to bring them through the ra¬ 
 pid Currents of the River St. Laurence. This oblig’d 
 them to ufe often the Word Gannorom, which in 
 their Language fignifies, That is wonderful. They 
 wonder’d- all’o to find there a Ship, having feen 
 none when they went; and did not know from 
 whence it came, it being about ajo Leagues from 
 
 Having forbid the Pilot to attempt to fail up the 
 Currents of the Streight till farther order, we re¬ 
 turn’d the 16th and 17th to the Lake Ontario, and 
 brought up our Bark to the great Rock of Niagara , 
 and anchor’d at the foot of the three Mountains, 
 where we were oblig’d to make our Portage ; that is, 
 to carry over-land our Canou’s and Provifions, and 
 other Things, above the great Fall of the River, 
 which interrupts the Navigation: And becaufe nioft 
 of the Rivers of that Country are interrupted with 
 great Rocks, and that therefore thofe who fail up¬ 
 on the fame, are oblig’d to go over-land above,thole 
 Falls, and carry upon their Backs their Ganou’s and 
 other Things. They exprels it with this Word, To 
 make our Portage ; of which the Reader is defir d 
 to take notice, for ctherwife the following Account, 
 as well as the-Map, would be unintilligible to many. 
 
 Father Gabriel, though of Sixty five Years of Age, 
 bore with great Vigour the Fatigue of that Voyage, 
 and went thrice up and down thofe three Moun¬ 
 tains, which are pretty high and Iteep. Our Men 
 had a great deal of trouble; for they were oblig’d 
 to make feverat Turns to carry the Provifions and 
 Ammunition, *nd the Portage was two Leagues 
 long. Our Anchors were f<* big, that -four Men 
 had much ado to carry one; but the Brandy we 
 gave them was fuch an Encouragement, that 
 thy furmounted cheerfully all the Difficulties of 
 that Journey ; and fo we got on board our 
 
 A Shm 
 
60 A New tyifcoVery of 
 
 Ship all our. Provifions, Ammunitions, and Com¬ 
 modities. 
 
 While we continu’d there, M. la Salle told me, 
 That he underftood by fotpe of our Men, that I 
 very much blam’d the Intrigues of fome Monks of 
 Canada with the Iroqucfe, and their Neighbours of 
 Non-York and New-Orange ; which oblig’d me in his 
 prefence, to tell my Brethren the Francifcans , That 
 I perceiv’d that M. la Salle was minded to furprizeme, 
 v and oblige me to revile fome Perfons, whom he re- 
 prefenred as Traders and Merchants; and then a- 
 bating fomewhat of my Tone, I concluded. That , 
 notwithftanding the falle Reports that had been made 
 to him, I would entertain a good Opinion of thofe 
 very Perfons whom he defign’d to'make my Enemies; 
 and that I wou’d rather give over our Enterprize than 
 be impos’d upon at that rate. This vigorous Anfwer 
 furpriz’d M. la Salle, who told me. That he was per- 
 fuaded that thofe who had made him thofe Reports, 
 were not honelt Men; and that therefore he would 
 take all imaginable care of my Perfon during the 
 Voyage, and efpoufe my Intereft on all occasions. 
 He was indeed afraid that I ihould leave him, which 
 had been a great difappointment to his Affairs j for 
 Father Gabriel would have left him alfo. That good 
 Man was come with us without any leave of his 
 - Superiour, only upon a Letter from the Provincial 
 Commiflioner of Canada , whofe Name was Valentin 
 k Roux, wherein he told M. la Salle, that the faid 
 Father Gabriel might go along with him. However, 
 he did not believe that he would do fo without an 
 Order in Writing ; and for that reafon came, fome 
 Days after our departure, to Fort Frontenac, where 
 M. la Salle obtain’d that Order from him, for fear of 
 being accus’d to have exposed a Man of that Age to 
 fo dangerous a Voyage, in which he was like to pe- 
 ri/h, as really he did, as we (hall fee by and by. 
 
 M.U 
 
a Large Country in America; 61 
 
 M. la Salle underftanding that I and the laid Father 
 Gabriel, were gone to view the great Fall of Niagara, 
 he came to us with fome Refrefhments to reconcile 
 himfelf with me, and prevent my return to Canada. 
 Fie met with no great difficulty ; for the great defire 
 I had to difcover a New Country, made me very 
 eafie ; fo that we return’d on board our Ship in the 
 beginning of Augujt, 1679. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 An Account of our Third Embarkment from the Mouth of 
 the Lake Erie. 
 
 W E have already obferv’d, that the Spaniards 
 were the firft Difcoverers of Canada, and that 
 the RecolleBs are the firft Religious Order, who atten¬ 
 ded the French Colonies in that Country. Thofe 
 Good Men liv’d in great Friendlhip with' the Savages 
 call'd Hnrons, by whom they underftood that the Iro- 
 qitefe made frequent Excurfions beyond Virginia and 
 New-Sweden, near a great Lake, from whence they 
 brought a great many Slaves; which gave occafion 
 to the Hurons to call that Lake Erige, or Erike ; that 
 is to fay, the Lake of the Cat. The Inhabitants of 
 Canada have foftned that Word, and call it Erie, as 
 we have already obferv’d. 
 
 We endeavour’d feveral times to fail up that Lake ; 
 but the Wind being not ftrong enough, we were 
 forc’d to wait for it. In the mean time,. M. la Salle 
 caus’d our Men to grub up fome Land, and fow fe¬ 
 veral forts of Pot-Herbs and Pulfe, for the conveni- 
 ency of thofe who Ihould fettle themfelves there, to 
 maintain our Correfpondence with Fort Frontenac. 
 We found there a great quantity of wild Cherries 
 and Rocambol, a fort of Garlick, which gro^v natu¬ 
 rally in that Ground. We lefr Father Melithon, with 
 
 fome 
 
61 A New Di/coVery of 
 
 fome Work-men, at our Habitation above the Fall of 
 Niagara ; and moft of our Men went a-fhoar to ligh¬ 
 ten our Ships, the better to fail up the Lake. 
 
 . The Wind veering to the North-Eaft, and the Ship 
 being well provided, we made all the Sail we could, 
 and with the help of Twelve Men who hail’d from 
 the Shoar, overcame the Rapidity of the Current, 
 and got up into the Lake. The Stream is fo violent, 
 that our Pilot himfelf defpair’d of Succefs. When 
 it was done, we fung Te Deum, and difcharg’d our 
 Cannon and other Fire-Arms, in prefence of a great 
 many Iroquefe , who came from a Warlike Expedition 
 againft the Savages of Tintmba ; that is to fay, the 
 Nation of the Meadows , who live above four hundred 
 Leagues from that Place. The Iroquefe and their Pri- 
 fbners were much furpriz’d to fee us in the Lake, and 
 did not think before that, we fhould be able to over¬ 
 come the Rapidity of the Current: They cry’d fe- 
 veral times Gmnorotn , to fliew their Admiration. 
 Some of the Ircquefe had taken the meafure of our 
 Ship, and immediately went for New-York, to give 
 notice to the Englijh and Dutch of our failing into the 
 Lake: For thole Nations affording their Commodi¬ 
 ties cheaper than the French , are alfo more belov'd 
 by the Natives. ' 
 
 On the 7th of Auguft, 1679. we went on board, 
 being in all four and thirty Men, including two Re¬ 
 collects who came to us, and fail’d from the Mouth of 
 the Lake Erie, Reel ing our Courfe Weft-South-Weft, 
 with a favourable Wind 5 and though the Enemies 
 of our Difcovery had given out, on purpofe to deterr 
 us from our Enterprize, That the Lake Erie vvas full 
 of Rocks and Sands, which render’d the Navigation 
 impracticable, we run above twenty Leagues during 
 the Night, though we founded all that while. The 
 next Day the Wind being more favourable, we made 
 above five and forty Leagues, keeping at an equal di- 
 ftance from the Banks of the Lake, and doubled a 
 
 Cape 
 
a Large Country in America. 6 -> 
 
 Cape to the Weft-ward, which we call’d the Cape 
 of St. Francis. The next Day we doubled two other 
 Capes, and met with no manner of Rocks or Sands. 
 We difcover’d a pretty large Ifland towards the South- 
 Weft, about feven or eight Leagues from the Nor¬ 
 thern Coaft; that Ifland faces the Streight that comes' 
 from the Lake Huron. ' 
 
 The loth, very early in the Morning, we pafs’d 
 between that Ifland and 7 or 8 letter ones; and ha¬ 
 ving fail’d near another, which is nothing but Sand, 
 to the Weft of the Lake, we came to an Anchor at 
 the Mouth of the Straight, which runs from the Lake 
 Huron into that of Erie. The nth, we went far¬ 
 ther into the Straight, and pafs’d between two fmall 
 Iflands, which make one of the fineft Profpefts in 
 the World. This Straight is finer than that of Nia¬ 
 gara, being thirty Leagues long, and every-where 
 one League broad, except in the middle, which is 
 wider, forming the Lake we have call’d St. flairs. 
 The Navigation is eafie on both fides, the Coaft be¬ 
 ing low and even. It runs diredly from North to 
 South. 
 
 The Country between thofe two Lakes is very well 
 fituated, and the Soil very fertile. The Banks of the 
 Straight are vaft Meadows, and the Profpetf: is ter¬ 
 minated with fome Mills covered with Vineyards, 
 Trees bearing good Fruit, Groves, and Forefts, fo 
 well difpos’d, that one would think Nature alone 
 could not have made, without the Help of Art, fo 
 charming a Profpeft. That Country is ftock’d with 
 Stags, Wild-Goats, and Bears, which are good for 
 Food, and not fierce as in other Countries; forne 
 think they are better than our Pork. Turkey-Cocks 
 and Swans are there alfo very common; and our Men 
 brought feveral other Beafts and Birds, whofe Names 
 are unknown to us, but they are extraordinary re- 
 lilhing. 
 
 The 
 
6 4 A Hew Difcovery of 
 
 The Forefts are chiefly made up of Walnut-trees, 
 Chefnut-trees, Plum-trees, and Pear-trees, loaded 
 with their own Fruit and Vines. There is alfo abun¬ 
 dance of Timber fit for Building ; fo that thofe 
 whofe who {hall be fo happy as to inhabit that No¬ 
 ble Country , cannot but remember with Gratitude 
 thofe who have difcover’d the way, by venturing to 
 fail upon an unknown Lake for above one hundred 
 Leagues. That charming Streight lies between 40 
 and 41 Degrees of Northern Latitude. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 An Account of what hapued in our Tajfage from the Lake 
 Erie, unto the Lake Huron. 
 
 I Had often advis’d M. la Salle to make a Settlement 
 upon the Streight,, between the Lake Erie and 
 Ontario, where the Fifliery is more plentiful; for that 
 Settlement would have been very advantageous to 
 us, to maintain our Communication with Fort 
 Frontenac. I told him alfo, that it were fit to leave 
 in that Settlement the Smith he and M. la Motte had 
 promis'd to the Irocjuefe 5 arid that it would be a 
 means to engage that wild Nation in our Intereft, 
 and to trade only with us, whereby he would grow 
 rich in a little timeBut M. la Salle, and the Adven¬ 
 turers who were with him, would not hearken to 
 my Advice j and told me, that they would make no 
 Settlement within 100 Leagues of their Fort, left 
 other Europeans fhould get before them into the Coun¬ 
 try they were going to difcover. This was their Pre¬ 
 tence ; but I foon obferv’d that their Intention was 
 to buy all the Furrs and Skins of the remoteft Sava¬ 
 ges, who, as they thought, did not know their Va¬ 
 lue; and fo inrich themfelves in one Angle Voy¬ 
 age. 
 
 I en- 
 
-a Large Country in America. 6 5 
 
 I endeavour’d alfo to perfwade him to make a Set¬ 
 tlement upon this charming Streight; for being in 
 the midft of fo many Nations of Savages, we-could 
 not but have a good Trade amongft them. This was 
 the Argument I made ufe of; but the main Rea- 
 fon, which I kept to my felf, was to have an Op¬ 
 portunity to preach the Gofpel to thofe ignorant Na¬ 
 tions. M. la Salle would by no means hearken to 
 my Advice, and told me he wonder’d at my Propo- 
 fal, confidering the great Paflion I had a few Months 
 before for the.Difcovery of a New Country. 
 
 The Current of that Streight is very violent, but 
 not half fo much as that of Niagara ; and therefore 
 we fail’d up with a brisk Gale, and got into the 
 Streight between the Lake Huron, and the Lake St. 
 Claire ; this lad is very- /hallow, efpecially at its 
 Mouth. The Lake Huron falls into this of St. Claire 
 by feveral Canals, which are commonly interrupted 
 by Sands and Rocks. We founded all of them, and 
 found one at laft about one League broad without 
 any Sands, its Depth being every where from three to 
 eight Fathoms Water. We fail'd up that Canal, but 
 were forc'd to drop our Anchors near the Mouth of 
 the Lake; for the extraordinary quantity of Waters 
 which came down from the upper Lake, and that of 
 Illinois, becaufe of a ftrong North-Weft Wind, had 
 fo much augmented the Rapidity of the Current of 
 this Streight", that it was as violent as that of 
 Niagara. 
 
 The Wind turning Southerly, we fail’d again ; 
 and with the help of twelve Men, who hail’d our 
 Ship from the Shoar, got fafely the 25 th of Augufi 
 into the Lake Huron. We fung Te Deum a fecond 
 time, to return our Thanks to the Almighty for our 
 happy Navigation. We found in that Lake a large 
 Bay, the Banks of which the ancient Hurons inhabi¬ 
 ted. They were converted to the Chriftian Religi- 
 
 • F on 
 
66 A New Vlfco'very of 
 
 oil by the firft Francifcans that came into Canada ; 
 btit the Iroquefe have in a great meafure deftroy’d 
 that Nation. 
 
 C H A P. XXI. 
 
 An Account of our Navigation mi the Lake Huron to 
 Miflilimakinak. 
 
 H Aving thus travel I’d above 300 Leagues from 
 Quebec to the Lake Huron, notwithftanding the 
 rapid Currents and Lakes we went through, we con-, 
 tinu’d our Voyage from the Mouth of this Lake, 
 fleering our Courfe North-North-Eaft ; but the next 
 day,finding our felves near the Land,we fleer’d North- 
 North-Weft, and crofs’d a Bay call’d Sakinam, which 
 may be thirty Leagues broad. The 24th, we run 
 the fame Courfe, but were becalm’d between fome 
 Iflands, where we found but two Fathoms Water, 
 which oblig’d us to make an eafie fail part of the 
 Night, to look for a good Anchorage, but in vain; 
 and the Wind turning then Wefterly, we bore to 
 the North, to avoid the Coaft till the Day appear’d. 
 We founded all the Night long, becaufe our Pilot, 
 though a very underftanding Man, was fomewhat 
 negligent. The 25th, we lay becalm’d till Noon, 
 but then run North-Weft with a brisk Southerly Gale. 
 The Wind turning South-Weft, we bore to the North 
 to double a Cape j but then the Wind grew fo vio¬ 
 lent, that we were forc’d to lie by all the Night. 
 The 26th, the'Storm continuing, we brought down 
 our Main Yards and Top-Maft, and let the Ship 
 drive at the Mercy of the Wind, knowing no place 
 to run into to fhelter our feives. M. la Salle, not¬ 
 withftanding he was a Courageous Man, began to 
 fear, and told us we were undone: and therefore 
 every body fell upon his Knees to lay his Prayers, 
 
a Large Country in America. 67 
 
 and prepare himfelf for Death, except our Pilot, 
 whom we could never oblige to pray; and he did 
 nothing all that while but curfe and fwear againft 
 M. la Salle, who, as he faid, had brought him thi¬ 
 ther to make him perifh in a nafty Lake, and lofe the 
 Glory he had acquir’d by his long and happy Navi¬ 
 gations on the Ocean, However, the Wind being 
 fomewhat abated, we hoifted up our Sail, and fo we 
 drove not above two Leagues. The 27th, in the 
 Morning, we continu'd our Courfe North-Weft with 
 a South-Eaft Wind, which carry’d us the fame Day 
 to Mijfilimaklnak, where we anchor’d in a Bay at 
 fix Fathoms Water , upon a flimy white Bottom. 
 That Bay is fhelter’d by the Coaft, and a Bank lying 
 from the South-Weft to the North ; but it lies ex¬ 
 pos’d to the South Winds, which are very violent in 
 that Country. 
 
 MiJJilimakinak is a Neck of Land to the North of 
 the Mouth of the Streight, through which the Lake 
 of the Illinois difcharges it felf into the Lake Huron. 
 That Canal is about three Leagues long, and one 
 broad. About fifteen Leagues to the Eaftward of 
 MiJJilimakinak, there is another Point at the Mouth of 
 the Streight, whereby the upper Lake runs into that 
 of Huron ; which Streight is about five Leagues broad 
 at its Mouth, and about fifteen Leagues long ; but it 
 grows narrow towards the Fall of St. Maty,- which is 
 a rapid Stream interrupted by feveral Rocks. How¬ 
 ever a Canow may go* up by one fide, but it requires 
 a great Fatigue ; and therefore the fafeft and eafieft 
 way is to make a Portage above the Fall, to go and 
 trade with the Savages inhabiting the Banks of the 
 upper Lake. 
 
 We lay between two different Nations of Sava¬ 
 ges ; thofe who inhabit the Point of MiJJilimakinak 
 are called Hurons, and the others, who are about 
 three or four Leagues mor Northward, are Outta- 
 cuatz. Thofe Savages were equally furprz’d to fee 
 
 F 2 a Ship 
 
68 A New Difcovery of 
 
 a Ship in their Country ; and the Noife of our Can¬ 
 non, of which we made a general Difcharge, fill'd 
 them with great aftonilhment. We went to fee the 
 Outtaouatz,, and celebrated Mafs in their Habitation. 
 
 M. la Salle was finely drefs’d, having a Scarlet Cloak 
 with a broad Gold Lace, and moft of his Men 
 with their Arms attended him. The Chief Captains 
 of that People receiv’d us with great Civilities after 
 their own way, and fome of them came on board 
 with us to fee our Ship, which rode all that while in 
 the Bay or Creek I have fpoken of. It was a divert¬ 
 ing Profped to fee every Day above fixfcore Canou s 
 about it, and the Savages flaring and admiring that 
 fine Woodden Canou, as they call’d it. They brought 
 us abundance of Whitings, and fome Trouts of yo 
 and 6o pound Weight. 
 
 We went the next Day to pay a Vifit to the Hums, 
 who inhabit a riling Ground on a Neck of Land 
 over-againlt MiJJilimakinak. Their Villages are forti- 
 fi’d with Pallifado’s of 25- foot high, and always fi- 
 tuated upon Eminences or Hills. They receiv’d us 
 with more Refped than the Outtaouatz ,, for they 
 made a triple Difcharge of all the fmall Guns they 
 had, having learn’d from fome Europeans, that it is 
 the ,greate(l Civility amongft us. However, they 
 took fuch a Jealoufie to our Ship, that, as we under- 
 flood fince, they endeavour’d to make our Expedi¬ 
 tion odious to all the Nations ^Jbout them. 
 
 The Hurons and Outtaouatz, are in Confederacy to¬ 
 gether againft the Irocjucje their Common Enemy. 
 They fow Indian Corn, which is their ordinary Food; 
 for they have nothing eife to live upon, except fonie 
 Fifii they take in the Lakes. They boil it with their \ 
 Sagamittee , which is a kind of Broth made with 
 Water and the Flour of the Corn, which they beat 
 n a Mortar, made of the Trunk of a Tree, which 
 hey make hollow with Fire. 
 
a Large Country in America, 6<y 
 
 There is another Settlement of Savages near the 
 Fall of St. Mary. The French call them Leaders, be- 
 caufe they live near that great Fall which they call 
 a Leaf. Thefe fubfift together by Hunting Staggs, 
 Elks, Beavers, and other Beads, as alfo upon the 
 Whitings we have already fpoken of j who arc taken 
 with fo much difficulty in this Place, that none but 
 themfelves are able to catch any. They fow no 
 Indian Corn, becaufe of the thick Fogs that are com¬ 
 monly on the Banks of the upper Lake, which ftille 
 Corn before it grows. 
 
 MiJJilimakinak and the Fall of St. Mary , are the 
 two moft conliderable Paflages that all the Savages 
 have of the Weft and North; for there are above 
 two hundred Canou’s that come through thefe Paf- 
 fes every Year, to carry their Commodities to the 
 French at Montreal below Fort Frontenac. 
 
 Our Enterprize had been very fuceefful hitherto ; 
 and we had reafon to expert, that every body would 
 have contributed to carry on vigoroufly our great 
 Defign to promote the Glory of God, as well as the 
 Good of our Colonies: However, fome of our own 
 Men oppos’d it as much as they could ; they repre- 
 fented us to the Outtoauats and their Neighbours as 
 dangerous and ambitious Adventurers, who delign’d 
 to engrofs all the Trade of Furrs and Skins, and 
 invade their Liberty, the only thing which is dear to 
 that People. The fifteen Men that M . la Salle had 
 fent before him, had been feduc’d and almoft drawn 
 from his Service. The Goods which he had given 
 them to exchange with the Natives, were diffipated 
 and wafted ; apd inftead of advancing as far as the 
 Illinois , as they were order’d, they remain’d amongft 
 the Hurons, notwithftanding the Exhortations and the 
 Prayers of M. Tonti who Commanded them. 
 
 Our Men went into the Country to trade with the 
 Natives, and engag’d themfelves too far; fo that 
 they did not return to MiJJilimakinak till November : 
 
 F 3 _ M. 
 
70 A "New QtJcovery of 
 
 M. la Salle being told that the Winds made the Na¬ 
 vigation of the Lake very dangerous in the beginning 
 of the Winter, refolvd to continue his Voyage 
 without tarrying any longer for the return oi his 
 Men. 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 An Account of our Sailing from Miffilimakinak, into 
 the Lake of the Illinois. 
 
 O N the 2d of September we weigh’d Anchor, 
 and fail’d into the Lake of the Illinois ; and 
 came to an Ifland juft at the Mouth of the 
 Bay of the Tuans, lying about forty Leagues from 
 Miffilimakinak: It is inhabited by fome Savages of 
 the Nation call’d Voutouatami s, with whom fome of 
 the Men M la Salle had fent the Year before, had bar¬ 
 ter’d a great quantity of Furrs and Skins. We found 
 our Men in the Ifland, who began to be very impa¬ 
 tient, having fo long waited our arrival. 
 
 The chief of that Nation had been formerly in 
 Canada, and had an extraordinary Refpe&for Count 
 Frontenac, who was Governour thereof; and upon 
 that account receiv'd 11s with all the civility imagina¬ 
 ble, and caus’d his Men to dance the Calumet, or Pipe, 
 before us. This is a piece of Civility we Ihall de- 
 fcribe anon. Our Ship was riding in the Bay a- 
 bout thirty Paces from the furthermoft Point of the 
 Land, at a pretty good Anchorage, where, we rode 
 fafely, notwithftanding a violent Storm which lalted 
 four Days. And upon this occafion, I cannot omit, 
 without Injuftice, the Generofity of that Brave Cap¬ 
 tain, who feeing our Ship tofs’d up by the Waves, 
 and not knowing it was able to refift, ventur’d him- 
 felf in his little Canou, and came to our affiftance. 
 He had the good Luck to get fafe on board, and 
 
a Large Country in America. 71 
 
 told us he would at all times venture his Life, for 
 laving the Children of Ormontio, Governour of Ca¬ 
 nada, who was his particular Friend. It mull be ob« 
 ferv’d, that that Governour is call’d Onnontio by all 
 the Savages. 
 
 M. la Salle, without asking any body’s Advice, 
 refolv’d to fend back his Ship to Niagara, laden with 
 Furrs and Skins to difcharge his Debts ; our Pilot 
 and five Men with him were therefore fent back, and 
 order’d to return with all imaginable fpeed, to join 
 us toward the Sourthen Parts of the Lake, where 
 we Ihould ftay for them among the Illinois. They 
 failed the 18th of September with a Wefterly Wind, 
 and fir’d a Gun to take their leave. Tho’ the Wind 
 was favourable, it was never known what Courle 
 they fleer’d, nor how they perilh’d ; for after all the 
 Enquiries we have been able to make, we could ne-* 
 ver learn any thing elfe but the following Parti¬ 
 culars. 
 
 The Ship came to an Anchor to the North of 
 the Lake of the Illinois, where (he was (een by lbme 
 Savages, who told us that they adviled our Men to 
 fail along the Goaft, and not towards the middle of 
 the Lake, becaule of the Sands that make the Navi¬ 
 gation dangerous when there is any high Wind. Our 
 Pilot, as I faid before, was dillatisfy’d, and would 
 fleer as he pleas’d, without hearkning to the Advice 
 of the Savages, who, generally (peaking, have more 
 Senfe than the Europeans think at firft ; but the Ship 
 was hardly a League from the Coaft, when it was 
 tofs’d up by a violent Storm in fuch a manner, that 
 our Men were never heard of lince ; and it is fup- 
 pos’d that the Ship ftrudt upon a Sand, and was there 
 bury’d. This was a great lofs for M. la Salle and 
 other Adventurers; for that Ship, with its Cargo, 
 coft above lixty thoufand Livres. This will feem 
 incredible to many, but not to thofo who will con- 
 fider that the Rigging, Anchors, and Goods were 
 
 F 4 brought 
 
yr A "Hew 'Difco'very of 
 
 brought by Canou’s from Quebec to Fort Frcmtenac ; 
 which is luch a vaft Charge, that the Carriage of 
 every hundred Weight, either of Anchors, Cabeis, 
 and the like, coft eleven Livres. 
 
 C II A P. XXIII. 
 
 An Account of our Embarkment in Cancnvs to continue 
 our Dijcovery , from the Bay of Puans, to the Miamis 
 on the Lake of the Illinois. 
 
 W E left the Poutouatam'is on the 19th of Sep¬ 
 tember to continue our Voyage, being four¬ 
 teen Men in all, in four Canou’s. 1 had the Con- 
 dud of the fmalleft, though it carry’d yoo Weight 
 and two Men; but my Fellow being newly come 
 from Europe , and confequently unskill’d to manage 
 thefe fort of Boats, I had the whole trouble upon 
 me in any ilormy Weather. The other four Canou’s 
 were laden with a Smith’s Forge, and Inftruments, 
 and Tools for Carpenters, Joyners, and Savvers, be- 
 lides our Goods and Arms. 
 
 We fleer’d to the South towards the Continent, 
 from which the Ifland of the Poutouatamis is near for¬ 
 ty Leagues diftant; but about the middle of the 
 way, in the Night-time, we were furpriz’d with a 
 fudden Storm, whereby we were in great danger. 
 The Waves came into our Canou’s; and the Night 
 was fo dark, that we had much ado to keep Com¬ 
 pany together : However, we got a-lhoar the 
 next Day, where we continu'd till the Lake grew 
 calm again, which was four Days after. In the 
 mean time our Savage went a Hunting, but could 
 kill nothing but a Porcupine, which made our Gourds 
 and Indian Corn more relilhing. 
 
 The 
 
a Large Country in America. 75 
 
 The Weather being fair, we continu’d our Voy¬ 
 age the 29th, and row’d all the Day, and beft part 
 of the Night, all along the Weftern Coaft of the 
 Lake of the Illinois ; but the Wind growing too 
 high for us, we thought fit to land upon a Rock, 
 where we had nothing to fhelter our felves againft 
 the Snow and the Rain but our Blankets. We con¬ 
 tinu’d there two Days, having made a little Fire 
 with the Wood the Waves did fupply us with. The 
 28th we proceeded on our Voyage; but the Wind 
 forc’d us towards Night on a Rock cover’d with 
 thick Eufhes, where we remain’d three Days, and 
 there made an end of all our Provifions, which con¬ 
 fided of Gourds and Indian Corn we had brought 
 from the P outouatami's. Our Canou’s were fo loaded, 
 that we could not provide our felves for a longer 
 time, and we expe&ed to find provifions enough in 
 our way. 
 
 We left that difmal Place the ifl of OBobcr , and 
 after tvrelve Leagues rowing, though fading, came 
 to another Village of the Voutouatamis, who came 
 upon the Shoar to receive us : But M. la Salle would 
 not differ any one to land, led his Men fhould run 
 away; and notwithdanding the bad Weather, we 
 follow’d him three Leagues farther. We were in fo 
 great danger, that he dung himfelf into the Water 
 with his three Men, and carry’d a-fhoar their Ca- 
 nou upon their Shoulders, for elfe it had been broken 
 to pieces. We were all oblig’d to do the fame; and 
 by thefe means fav’d our Canou’s and Goods. I 
 carry’d upon my Back that good Man Father Ga¬ 
 briel, whofe great Age did not permit him to venture 
 himfelf into the Water. 
 
 As we had no manner of Acquaintance with the 
 Savages of the Village near which we landed,our Men 
 prepar’d themfelves to make a vigorous Defence in 
 cafe they were attack’d ; and in order to it, poffeffed 
 cur felves of a rifing Ground, where we could not 
 
 be 
 
74 A New Dtfcovery of 
 
 be furpriz’d, and where we might make head againft 
 k great number of Savages. We fent afterwards three 
 Men to buy Provifions in the Village with the Calu¬ 
 met or Pipe of Peace, which the Toutouatamis of the 
 lfland had given us. I had forgot to mention that 
 when they made us that Prefent, they obferv’d a 
 great many Ceremonies; and becaufe that Calumet 
 of Peace is the molt facred Thing amongft the Sa¬ 
 vages, I think fit to defcribe the fame in the next 
 Chapter. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 A Defer ip t ion of the Calumet, or Great Tipe. 
 
 TTI-Iis Calumet is the molt myfterious Thing in the 
 World among the Savages of the Continent of 
 the Northern America $ for it is us’d in all their im¬ 
 portant Tranfaetions: However, it is nothing elfe 
 but a large Tobacco-Pipe made of Red, Black, or 
 White Marble: The Head is finely poii/h’d, and the 
 Quill, which is commonly two Foot and a half 
 long; is made of a pretty ftrong Reed, or Cane, 
 adorn’d with Feathers of all Colours, interlac’d with 
 Locks of Womens Hair. They tie to it two Wings 
 of the molt curious Birds they find, which makes 
 their Calumet not much unlike Mercury’s Wand, or that 
 Staff Ambaffadors did formerly carry when they 
 went to treat of Peace. They /heath that Reed 
 into the Neck of Birds they call Huars, which are 
 as big as our Geefe, and {potted with Black and 
 White ; or elfe of a fort of Ducks who make their 
 Neds upon Trees, though Water be their ordinary 
 Element, and whole Feathers are of many different 
 Colours. However, every Nation adorns the Calu¬ 
 met as tfiey think fit according to their own Genius 
 and the Birds they have in their Country. 
 
 A Pipe, 
 
a Large Country in America. 75 
 
 A Pipe, fuch as I have deferib’d it, is a Pafs and 
 fafe Conduct amongft all the Allies of the Nation 
 who has given it; and in all Embaflies, the Ambaf- 
 fadors carry that Calumet as the Symbol of Peace, 
 which is always refpe&ed; for the Savages are ge¬ 
 nerally perfuaded, that a great Misfortune would be- 
 fal ’em, if they violated the Publick Faith of the 
 Calumet All their Enterprises, Delarations of War, or 
 Conclufion of Peace, as well as all the relt of their 
 Ceremonies, are fealed, if I may be permitted to fay 
 fo, with this Calumet. They fill that Pipe with the 
 beft Tobacco they have, and then prefent it to thofe 
 with whom they have concluded any great Affair, 
 and fmoak out of the fame after them. I had cer¬ 
 tainly perifh’d in my Voyage, had it not been for 
 this Calumet or Pipe, as the Reader will obferve in 
 perufing the following Account. 
 
 Our three Men, provided with this Pipe as a Pafs, 
 and very well Arm’d, went to the little Village of 
 the Savages, which was about three Leagues from 
 the place where we landed ; but they found no bo¬ 
 dy therein; for the Savages having heard that we 
 had refus'd to land at the other Village, thought we 
 were Enemies, and therefore had left their Habita¬ 
 tion. Our Men finding no body in their Cabins, 
 took fome Indian Corn, and left in Head of it fome 
 Goods, to let them fee that we were no Robbers, 
 nor their Enemies. However, the Savages, to the 
 number of twenty Men, arm'd with Axes, fmall 
 Guns, Bows, and a fort of Club, which in their 
 Language they call Break-heads, advanc’d near the 
 Place where we flood ; whereupon M. la Salle, with 
 four Men very well arm’d, went toward them to 
 fpeak with them, and defir’d them to come near us, 
 for fear, as he laid, a Party of our Men, who were 
 gone a Hunting, fhould meet with them and kill 
 them. They were perfuaded to fit down at the foot 
 of the Eminence where we were pofted, and M. la 
 
j >6 A "New Jjlfcoltery of 
 
 Salle fpoke to them all the while of the fubjed mat¬ 
 ter of his Voyage, which he had undertaken for 
 their good and advantage, as he told them. This 
 was only to amufe them till our three Men return’d; 
 who appearing with the Cpltwet of Peace, the Sa¬ 
 vages made a great Shout, and role, and began to 
 dance. We made them fome Excufe becaufe of our 
 Men having taken fome of their Corn, and told 
 them they had left the true Value of it in Goods; 
 which they took fo well, that they fent immediately 
 for more, and gave us the next Day as much as we 
 could conveniently carry in our .Canou’s. They 
 retir’d towards the Evening ; and M. la Salle 
 order’d fome Trees to be cut down, and laid 
 crofs the way, to prevent any Surprize from the 
 Savages. 
 
 The next Morning about ten a Clock, the Oldeft 
 of them came to us with their Calumet of Peace, and 
 entertain’d us with fome wild Goats they had 
 taken. We return’d them our Thanks, and pre- 
 fented them with fome Axes, Knives, and feveral 
 little Toys for their Wives, with which they were 
 very much pleas’d. 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 A Continuation of our Difcovery ; with an Account of our 
 Navigation to the farther End of the Lake of the Illi¬ 
 nois in our Canons. 
 
 tT7 E left that Place the 2d of OBober, and 
 VV continu’d our Voyage all along the Coaft 
 of the Lake, which is fo fteep that we could hardly 
 find any Place to land; and the Violence of the 
 Wind oblig’d us to drag our Canou’s lometimes 
 to the top of the Rocks, to prevent their being 
 dafh’d in pieces by the Waves. The ftormy Wea¬ 
 ther 
 
a Large Country in America: 77 
 
 ther lafted four Days, during which we fuffer’d 
 very much ; for every time we went a-flioar we 
 were forc’d to ftep into the Water, and carry our 
 Canou’s upon our Shoulders, and to do the like 
 when we embark’d again. The Water being very 
 cold, moil: of us were Tick, and our Provifions fail’d 
 us again ; which, together with the Fatigues of 
 Rowing, caus’d old Father Gabriel to faint away in 
 fuch a manner, that I verily thought he could not 
 live $ however, I brought him again to his Senfes 
 by means of fome Confection of Hyacinth , which 
 I found very ufeful in our Voyage. We had no 
 other Subfiftence but a handful of Indian Corn once 
 every four and twenty Hours, which we roafted, 
 or elfe boyled in Water ; and yet we row’d almoft 
 every Day from Morning ’till Night. Our Men 
 found fome Hawthorn-Berries and other wild Fruit, 
 which they ate fo greedily, that mod of them fell 
 Tick, and were thought to be poifon’d ; yet the 
 more we fuffer’d, the more by the Grace of God I 
 was ftrong and vigorous; fo that I could often out- 
 row all our other Canou’s. 
 
 Being in that diftrefs, He that takes care of the 
 meaneft Creatures, afforded us an unexpected Relief; 
 We faw upon the Coaft a great many Ravens and 
 Eagles; from whence we conjectur’d that there 
 was fome Prey; and having landed on that Place, 
 we found above the half of a fat wild Goat, which 
 the Wolves had ftrangled. This Provifion was very 
 acceptable to us, and the rudeft of our Men could 
 not but praife the Divine Providence, who took fo 
 particular a care of us. 
 
 Having thus refrefh'd our felves, we continu’d 
 our Voyage direCtly to the Sourthern Parts of the 
 Lake, finding every day the Country finer, and the 
 Weather more temperate. On the 16th of Ottober 
 we met with abundance of Game : Our Savage 
 kill’d feveral Staggs and wild Goats, and our Men 
 ♦ a 
 
78 A “New DifcoVery of 
 
 a great many Turkey-Cocks very fat and big, where¬ 
 with we provided our felves for leveral Days, and 
 fo .embark’d again. On the 18th we came to the 
 farther end of the Lake, where we landed: Our 
 Men were immediately fent to view the Country 
 round about that Place, and found a great quantity 
 of ripe Grapes, each Grain of which was as big as 
 a Damafcen : We fell’d feveral Trees to gather them, 
 and made pretty good Wine, which we kept in 
 Gourds, and bury’d in Sand to prevent its growing 
 four. All the Trees in that Country are loaded with 
 Vines, which, if cultivated, would make as good 
 Wine as any in Europe. That Fruit was more re- 
 lilhing to us than Flefh, becaufe we wanted Bread. 
 
 Our Men difcover’d fome frefh Prints of Mens 
 Feet, which oblig’d us to ftand upon our Guard, 
 without making any Noife till we had relied fome 
 time. That Order was not long obferv’d j for one 
 of our Men having efpy’d a Bear upon a Tree, 
 Ihot him down dead, and dragg'd him to our Ca¬ 
 bins. M. la Salle was very angry with him , and to 
 avoid any Surprize, put a Sentinal near ourCanous, 
 under which we had put our Goods to Ihelter ’em 
 from the Rain. 
 
 There were fixfcore Savages of the Nation of the 
 Outtouagamh inhabiting the Bay of Putins, encamp d 
 not far from us; who having heard the Noife our 
 Man had made, took the Alarm, and fent fome of 
 their Men to difcover who we were. Thefe creep¬ 
 ing upon their Bellies, and keeping great Silence, 
 came in the Night to our Canou s, and Hole away 
 the Coat of M. la Salles Footman, and part of the 
 Goods that were under it: But the Sentinel having 
 heard fome Noife, call’d us, and every body run 
 to his Arms. The Savages being difcover’d, and 
 thinking we were more numerous, cry’d. That they 
 were Friends; but we anfwer’d them. That Friends 
 did not come in fo unfeafonable Hours j and that 
 
a Large Country in America. 79 
 
 they look’d rather like Robbers, who defign’d to 
 murther us: Their Captain reply’d, That having 
 heard the Noife of a Gun, and kno wing that none of 
 their Neighbours, ufe Fire-Arms, they thought we 
 were a Party of Iroquefe, and were come with a De- 
 fign to murther them ; but that understanding we 
 were fome Europeans of Canada, whom they lov’d as 
 their Brethren, they could hardly wait till Day to 
 vifit us, and fmoak in our Calumet , or large Pipe. 
 This is the ufual Compliment of the Savages, and the 
 greateft Mark they can give of their Affedion. 
 
 We feem’d to be fatisfy’d with their Reafons, and 
 gave leave to four of them only to come to us, tel¬ 
 ling them that we would not fuffer a great number 
 becaufe their Youth was addicted to Steal, and that 
 our Men could not fuffer it. Four old Men came 
 to us, whom we entertain’d till Day, and then they 
 retir’d. After they were gone, we found we had 
 been robb’d ; and knowing the Genius of the Sa¬ 
 vages, and that if we did fuffer this Affront, we 
 Should be expos’d every Night to their Infults; it 
 was refolv’d to exact Satisfaction from them : Ac¬ 
 cordingly M. la Salle went abroad with fome of our 
 Men, to endeavour to take fome of them Prifoners ; 
 and having difcover’d one of their Hunters, he feiz’d 
 him, and examin’d him concerning the Robbery they 
 had committed: He confefs d the FaCt, with all the 
 Circumffances; whereupon he left him to the cufto- 
 dy or two Men ; and advancing farther into the 
 Country, took another, whom he brought along 
 with him, and having Shew’d him his Companion, 
 fent him back to tell their Captain, That he would 
 kill him, unlefs they return’d what they had robb’d. 
 
 C H A P. 
 
8o 
 
 A New Dlfcovery of 
 
 C H A P. XXVI. 
 
 ■ An Account of the Peace made between us and the Out- 
 touagami’s. 
 
 T H E Savages were mightily puzzl’d at the Mef- 
 fage fent by M. la Salle; for having cut in pie¬ 
 ces the Coat, and other Goods they had ftoll’n, and 
 divided the Buttons, they could not make a full Re- 
 ftitution ; and therefore they refolv’d to deliver their 
 Man by force ; and accordingly the next Morning, 
 October 3 c. they advanc’d to attack us. The Peninfuld 
 where we were encamp’d, was feparated from the 
 Foreft, where the Savages lay, by a little fandy Plain; 
 and there being near the Wood two or three Emi¬ 
 nences, M. la Salle refolv’d to poffefs himfelf of the 
 higher, and detach’d five Men for that Service, fol¬ 
 lowing himfelf at a little difiance with the reft, eve¬ 
 ry one having roll’d his Covering about the left Arm, 
 to defend themfelves againft the Arrows of the Sava¬ 
 ges ; for there was not above eight of them who had 
 Fire-Arms. 
 
 The Savages feeing our Men advancing up to 
 them, were frighted; and the youngeft retir'd be¬ 
 hind a great Tree, but their Captains flood their 
 ground, while we poflefled our felves of the Emi¬ 
 nence I have already mention'd. I left the two Fran- 
 cifcansxt ading the ufual Prayers, and went with 
 our Men to exhort them to their duty ; for having 
 feen fome Battels and Sieges in Europe , I was very 
 little afraid of the Savages. I faw two of our Men 
 turning pale; but when I had fpoken to them, they 
 feem’d hearty enough ; and M. la Salle was mightily 
 pleas’d with my Exhortations. However I confider’d 
 the confequence this Quarrel might have, and how 
 advantageous and Chriftian-like it would be to pre¬ 
 vent 
 
a Large Country in America. 81 
 
 vent the effufion of Blood, and end it in a friendly 
 manner ; therefore I advanc’d towards the oldeft Sa¬ 
 vage, who feeing me without any Arms, thought I 
 came with a defign to be Mediator, and receiv’d me 
 with Civility ; but in the mean time one of our Men 
 having obferv’d, that one of the Savages had a piece 
 of the Cloth they had ftoll’n about his Head, came 
 up to him, and fhatch d it away. That vigorous 
 A&ion fo much terrify d the Savages, that though 
 they were near lixfcore Men againft eleven, they pre- 
 fented me the Pipe or Calumet of Peace, which I re¬ 
 ceiv’d. M. la Salle having pafs’d his Word that they 
 might come fafe to him, two old Men told him in a 
 Speech, That they did not approve what their young 
 Men had done That they would have reftor’d the 
 Goods taken, if it had heen poflible$ but that having 
 been cut in pieces, they could do no more but offer 
 to reftore what was not fpoil’d, and pay for the reft. 
 They prefented us at the fame time with fome 
 Gowns made of Beavers-Skins to appeafe M. la Salle, 
 who having frown’d a little, told them , That as he 
 defign d to wrong or affront no body, he would nei¬ 
 ther fuffer any wrong or affront to be put upon him ; 
 but that feeing they did not approve what their 
 Youth had done, and were willing to make fatif- 
 facftion for the fame, he accepted their Offers, and 
 would be their Friend. The Conditions were fully 
 perform’d, and the Peace happily concluded without 
 farther Hoftility. 
 
 The next Day was fpent in Dancing, Feafting, 
 and Speeches; and the Chief Captain having taken 
 a particular notice of the Behaviour of the Fran¬ 
 ciscans , (aid, 7 hefe Grey Coats we value very much j they 
 go barefoot as well as we : Zhey fcorn our Beaver-Gowns , 
 and refufe all other Frefents: They carry no Arms to kill 
 us : They flatter and make much of our Children, and give 
 them Knives and other Toys, without expending any Reward. 
 Thofe amongfl us who have been in Canada, tell us. That 
 
 G Onnomio 
 
81 A New Difcovery of 
 
 Onnontio (fo they call the Governour) loves them 
 very much ; and that they have quitted all to come to fee 
 as. Therffore s be pleas'd, Thou who art Captain of thefe 
 Men, to leave amongfk us one of thefe Grey Coats, whom 
 we fall bring to our Village , when we have kill'd 
 wild Bulls, and make much of him. Thou art likewife 
 Mafier of thefe iVarriours, and therefore remain amongft 
 us, infiead of going among the Illinois., who have refolv’d 
 to murther thee and all thy Soldiers : And how canfi thou re¬ 
 fill fo great a Nation? 
 
 The Captain of the Savages told us, that the Illi¬ 
 nois had burnt alive an Iroquefe, who confefs’d that 
 the War the Iroquefe made againft them, had been 
 fomented by the Inhabitants of Canada, who hated 
 them. He told us alfo many other things, which 
 frighted our Men, and made M. la Salle very melan- 
 cholly j for all the Savages we had already met, had 
 told us almoft the fame thing. However, knowing 
 how great was the Malice of our Enemies, and there¬ 
 fore fufpe&ing that thefe things might have been fug- 
 gefted to the Savages, in order to oblige us to give 
 over our Enterprize; or elfe that it was a Con¬ 
 trivance of the Neighbours of the Illinois, who were 
 afraid that they fhould grow too powerful, if we 
 taught them the ufe of Fire-Arms, we refolv’d to 
 go on with our Voyage, taking in the mean time 
 all neceflary Precautions for our Security. We told 
 the Outtouagami's, That we were much oblig’d to them 
 for their kind Offers and Advice ; but that we were 
 not afraid of the Illinois ; for the Spirits know how 
 to gain the FriendIhip of any Nation, by Reafon or 
 by Force. ’Tis to be obferv’d, that the Savages be¬ 
 ing not able to conceive how the Europeans can have 
 more Wit than they, and admiring fome Toys and 
 other Things we bring from Europe, own that they 
 are but Men, but that we are Spirits, and therefore 
 call us fo. 
 
a Large Country in America. 8 j 
 
 The next Day, November i. we embark’d on the 
 Lake ot the Illinois, and came to the Mouth of the 
 River of the Miami’s , which runs from the South 
 and falls into the Lake. We had appointed that Place 
 for our Rendezvous, and expend to meet there the 
 twenty Men we had left at Mijfilimakinak j who be¬ 
 ing order’d to come along the other Coaft of the 
 Lake, had a much Ihorter cut than we, and befides 
 their Canou’s were not fo much loaded as ours. 
 However, we found no body there, nor any Mark 
 whereby it could appear that they had been in that 
 Place. We refolv’d to tell M. la Salle , that it was 
 not fit to tarry any longer for them, nor expofe our 
 lelves to the Hardlhip of the Winter; and that it 
 would be then very difficult to meet with the Illi- 
 mis, becaufe they divided themfelves into Tribes or 
 Families, to fubfift more conveniently j that if we 
 were forc’d to remain there during the Winter, and 
 that the Game ffiould come to fail us, all his Men 
 would certainly periffi with Hunger j whereas wb 
 might expeft to find fome Indian Corn amongft the 
 Illinois, who would rather fupply with Provifions 
 fourteen Men than two and thirty. We told him 
 likewife, that it would be in a manner impoffible to 
 continue our Voyage till the Winter was over, if 
 he tarry’d any longer, becaufe the Rivers would be 
 frozen all over, and therefore we could not make 
 ufe of our Canou’s. Notwithftanding thele Reafons, 
 M. la Salle told us, that it was necelfary to expert 
 the reft of his Men, becaufe we fhould be then in a 
 Condition to difcover our felves to the Illinois, and 
 make an Alliance with them ; whereas we ihould 
 be expos’d to their Mercy and Scorn, if we offer’d 
 to enter their Country with fo few Men ; but that 
 in the mean time he would endeavour to meet with 
 lome of that Nation, and gain them by Prefents to 
 learn their Language $ concluding, that although all 
 his Men Ihould run away, he would remain al4he 
 
 G 2 —^ with 
 
g 4 A New T)if covery of 
 
 with our Savage, and find m^s to mamtain^he 
 Three Miflionaries, meaning I and my two Bre- 
 
 tbl Havine therefore call’d his Men together, he told 
 them That he was refolv’d to exped the reft of 
 their Companions ; and propos’d to bmld a Fort in 
 that Place for fecuring our Ship ; for we did not 
 know then that it had perilh’d ; as alfo to fecure our 
 Goods and our felves to^ in cafeof any Difgrace. 
 Our Men feem’d very much diffatisfied ; but he usd 
 fo many Reafons, that they told him at laft, they 
 would entirely follow his Diredion. 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 An Account of the Building of a Fort and a Houfe near the 
 River of Miamis. 
 
 J 
 
 Uft at the Mouth of the River, there was was 
 J an Eminence, with a kind ot a Platform tutu- 
 rallv fortify’d : It was pretty high and fteep, ot a 
 Triangular Form, defended on two f.des by the Ri¬ 
 ver and on the other by a deep Ditch, which the 
 Fall of Waters had made. We fell’d die Treetta 
 were on the top of that Hill, and having clear d die 
 fame from Bulhes for about two Musket-fliot, we be- 
 STto build , Redoubt of forty Foot long, aid 
 eighty broad, with great fquare pieces of Timber 
 laid one upon the other ; and prepar dagreaNum 
 ber of Stakes of about twenty five Foot Jong, 
 drive into the'Ground, to make our Fort the mo 
 unacceffible on the River fide. We imp \oy dg 
 whole Month of November about tha ^° r ’ W !j ut 
 was very hard, though we had no other rood 
 the Bears-flefh our Savage killd. ThoC Beal 
 w;ry common in that place, becaufe of the g 
 quantity of Grapes they find there; but their F^ 
 
a Large Country in America^ 8 5 
 
 being too fat and lufiiious, our Men began to be 
 weary of it, and defir’d leave to go a hunting, to 
 kill forae wild Goats. M. la Salle deny’d them that 
 Liberty, which caus’d fome Murmurs amongft them ; 
 and it was but unwillingly that they continu’d their 
 Work. This together with the approach of the Win¬ 
 ter, and the apprehenfion M. la Salle had that his 
 Ship was loft, made him very melancholy, though 
 he conceal’d it as much as he could. We had made 
 a Cabin, wherein we perform’d Divine Service eve¬ 
 ry Sunday , and Father Gabriel and I, who preach’d 
 alternatively, took care to take fuch Texts as were 
 fuitable to our prelent Circilmftances, and fit to in- 
 Ipire us with Courage, Concord, and brotherly Love. 
 Our Exhortations produc’d a very good Effeft, and 
 hindred our Men from deferting, as they defign d. 
 
 We founded in the mean time, the Mouth of the 
 River, and having found a Sand on which our Ship 
 might ftrike, we fix’d two great pofts therein,to which 
 we faftned Bear-Skins as fo many Buoys to dired 
 the Courfe of our Ship through the Channel me 
 ought to pafs; and for a greater Precaution, two 
 Men were fent back to MiJJilimakinak , to wait there 
 till the return of our Ship, and ferve as Pilots. 
 
 The 20th of November M. Tonti arriv’d with two 
 Canou’s laden with Stags and Deers, which was a 
 welcom Refrefhment to our Men, but he did not 
 bring above half of our Men with him, the reft be¬ 
 ing left on the other fide of the Lake, within three 
 Days Journey from our Fort. M. la Salle was very 
 angry with him upon that Account, being afraid 
 that they would run away. 
 
 They told us that our Ship had not put into the 
 Bay of MiJJilimakinak, as they were order’d, and 
 that they had heard nothing of her fince we fail d, 
 notwithftanding they had enquir’d as much as they 
 could, from the Savages inhabiting the Coaft of the 
 Lake. This confirm’d the Sufpicion, or rather the 
 
 G 1 ie’ief 
 
86 A New Vifcoyery of 
 
 Belief we had that fhe was caft away: However, 
 M. la Salle continu’d the Building of his Fort, 
 which was at laft perfe&ed, and call’d Fort Miamis. 
 
 The Winter drawing fo nigh, and M. la Salle be¬ 
 ing afraid that the . Ice would ftop his Voyage, fent 
 back M. 1 onti to fetch the Men he had left, and 
 command them to come to him immediately; but 
 meeting with a violent Storm, their Canou was dri¬ 
 ven againft the Coaft, and broke in pieces, whereby 
 they loft their Guns and Equipage, and were oblig’d 
 to return over-land. Few Days after, all our Men 
 arriv’d except two, who deferted; fo that we pre¬ 
 par’d our felves to continue our Voyage, the Rains 
 that fell about that time having melted the Ice, and 
 made the Rivers navigable. 
 
 C FI A P. XXVIII. 
 
 A Continuation of our Voyage from Fort Miamis to tht 
 River of the Illinois. 
 
 W E embark’d on the Third of December, being 
 Three and thirty Men in Eight Canou’s, 
 and having lefc the Lake of the Illinois, went up 
 the River Miamis, which we had founded before. 
 We made about five and twenty Leagues to the 
 South-Weft, but cou’d not difeover the Place where 
 we were to land, and carry our Canou’s and Equi¬ 
 page into the River of the Illinois, which falls into 
 that of Mefcbafipi j that is, in the Language of the 
 Illinois, the Great River. We had already pafled the 
 place of the Portage, but not knowing whereabouts we 
 were, we thought fit to ftay fhere, to expetft M. la 
 Salle, who was landed to view the Country: We 
 ftaid a great while, and feeing he did not come, I 
 went very far into the Woods with-two of our Men, 
 whafir’d their Guns to give him notice of the Place 
 
 where 
 
a Large Country in America. 87 
 
 where we were ; and in the mean time two others 
 went up the River in their Canou, in order to find 
 him out; but all our Endeavours were in vain, lb 
 that we rettirn’d towards Evening. 
 
 The next Day I went up the River my felf, but 
 hearing nothing of him, I came back, and found 
 ojrMen very much perplex’d, fearing he was loft; 
 bit about four a-clock in the Afternoon he return’d 
 t* us, having his Face and Hands as black as Pitch. 
 He brought along with him two Beafts as big as Musk’d 
 Bats, whofe Skins was very fine, and like Ermins. 
 He had kill’d them with a Stick, as they hung by 
 their Tails to the Boughs of Trees. 
 
 He told us, that the Marlhes he had met . in his 
 vay, had oblig’d him to fetch a great Compafs; and 
 that being much annoy’d by the Snow which fell 
 very thick, it was part Midnight before he could 
 arrive upon the Banks of the River; where he fir’d 
 his Gun twice, and that hearing noanfwer, he con¬ 
 cluded we were gone up higher, and had therefore 
 march'd that way. He added, that after three Hours 
 March, he law a Fire upon ^ little Hill, whither 
 he went dire&ly, and hail’d us feveral Times, but 
 hearing no Anfwer, he approach’d and found no 
 Body near the Fire, but only fome dry Herbs, up¬ 
 on which a'Man was a little while. afore laid, as 
 he conjcdur’d, becaufe they were ftill warm. He 
 fuppos’d that it was a Savage, who lay thereabouts 
 in an Ambufcade, and therefore call’d to him in 
 two or three Languages; but no Body anfwering, 
 he cry’d as loud as he could, that to /hew he was 
 not afraid of him, he was going to lie in his room. 
 However, for fear of any Surprize, he cut feveral 
 Boughs and Bulhes, to embarafs the way, and fat 
 down by the Fire,which had made his Hands and Face 
 black, as I have obferv’d. Having thus warm’d and 
 refted himfelf, he lay down upon the dry Herbs the 
 Savage had gather’d under a Tree, and flept very 
 
 G 4 ’well. 
 
■ 
 
 88 A “New DifcoVery of 
 
 well, notwithftanding the Froft and Snow. Father 
 Gabriel and I defir’d him to remain with his Men, 
 and not expofe himfelf for the future, becaufe the 
 Succefs of our Enterprize depended only upon him; 
 and he promis’d us to follow our Advice. 
 
 Our Savage, who remain’d behind for hunting 
 finding none of us at the Place of the Portage, came 
 up higher on the River, and told us, we had mift 
 it; therefore he was fent back with all our Ci- 
 nou’s, except one which I kept 5 for M. la Salle was fo 
 weary, that he was oblig’d to lie there that Nig It. 
 
 I made a little Cabin with Mats of Marifh Rulhe;, 
 wherein we lay together, but were in great danger 
 of being burnt} for it took fire by an unhappy Ac. 
 cident, while we were faft afleep. The next Morn¬ 
 ing we joyn’d our Men at the Place of Portage , 
 where Father Gabriel had made the Day before ie- 
 veral Croffes upon the Trees, that we might not 
 mifs it another time. We found there a great quan¬ 
 tity cf Horns and Bones of wild Bulls, as alfo fome 
 Canou’s the Savages had made with the Skins of 
 Beads, to crofs the River with their Provifions. This 
 'Portage lies at the farther End of a large Champion 
 piece of Ground ; and at the other End, to the Weft, 
 lies a Village of the Savages Miami's, Mafcouteivs, and 
 Oiatinon, who live together. The River of the Illi¬ 
 nois has its Source near that Village, and fprings out 
 of fome marlhy Lands, which are as fo many Quag¬ 
 mires, that one can fcarcely walk over them. The 
 Head of the River is only a League and half from 
 that of Miamh , and fo our Portage was not long. 
 
 We mark’d the way from Place to Place with fome 
 "Trees for the convenience of thofe we expe&ed af¬ 
 ter us; and left at the Portage, as well as Fort Mia¬ 
 mi s, Letters hanging down from the Trees, contain¬ 
 ing M. la Salle's Inftru&ions to our Pilot, and the 
 other five and ewenty Men, who were to come with 
 him ■ i 
 
 CHAP, 
 
4 Large Country in America. 89 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 Art Account of our Embarkment at the Head of the River 
 of the Illinois. 
 
 T His River is navigable within a hundred Paces 
 from its Source ; I mean for Canou’s of Bark 
 of Trees, and not for others; but it increafes fb 
 much a little way from thence, that it is as deep 
 and broad as the Meufe and the Sambre joyn’d toge¬ 
 ther. It runs through vaft Mar Hies, and though it 
 be rappid enough, it makes fb many Turnings and 
 Windings, that after a whole Day’s Journey, we 
 found we were hardly two Leagues from the Place 
 we left in the Morning. That Country is nothing 
 but Marfhes full of Alder-Trees and Ruflies; and 
 we could have hardly found for forty Leagues toge¬ 
 ther, any Place to plant our Cabins, had it not 
 been for the Froft, which made the Earth more firm 
 and folid. 
 
 Having paft through great Marfhes, we found a 
 vaft Plain, on which nothing grows but only fome 
 Herbs, which were dry at that time, and burnt, be- 
 caufe the Miami s fet them on fire every Year, in 
 their hunting wild Bulls, as I fhall mention anon. 
 We found no manner of Game, which was a great 
 Difappointment to us, our Provifions beginning to 
 fail. Our Men travell’d about fixty Miles without 
 killing any thing elfe but a lean Stag, a fmall wild 
 Goat, fome few Swans, and two Buftards, which 
 was no fufficient Maintenance for two and thirty 
 Men, Moft of them were fo weary of this labo¬ 
 rious Life, that they would have run away, if pof- 
 fible, and gone to the Savages, who were not very 
 far from us, as we judg’d by the great Fires we 
 jaw in the Plain. There mutt be an innumerable 
 
 quantity 
 
A New Dlfcoyery of 
 
 quantity of wild Bulls in that Counwy, fince the 
 Earth is cover’d with their Horns. The Miami s hunt 
 them towards the latter end of Autumn. 
 
 We continu’d our Courfe upon this River very 
 near the whole Month.of December ; but toward the 
 latter end of the faid Month, 1679. we arriv’d at 
 the Village of the Illinois, which lies near one hun¬ 
 dred and thirty Leagues from Fort Miamis, on the 
 Lake of the Illinois. We fuffer’d very much in this 
 Paflage; for the Savages having fet the Herbs of 
 the Plain on fire, the wild Bulls were fled away, 
 and fo we could kill but one, and fome Turkey- 
 Cocks. God’s Providence fupported us all the while; 
 and when we thought that the Extremities we were 
 reduc’d to, were path all hopes of Remedy, we found 
 a prodigious big wild Bull, lying fall in the Mud of 
 the River. We kill’d him and had much ado to get 
 him out of the Mud. This was a great Refrelhment 
 to our Men, and reviv’d their Courage; for being 
 fo timely and unexpe&ly reliev’d, they concludes 
 that God approv’d our Defign. 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 
 
 
 A Defcription of the Hunting of the wild Bulls and Cows, 
 by the Savages ; Of the bignefs of thofie Bedfts ; and 
 of the Advantages and Improvements that may be made 
 J - ■ — ‘ ' ’ - - ' ' the Woods 
 
 of the Tlain where they Pajlure j and of 
 thereabouts. 
 
 W«S 
 
 Ten the Savages difcover a great Number of 
 thofe Beafts together, they likewife affetn- 
 ble their whole Tribe to encompals the Bulls, and 
 then fet on fire the dry Herbs about them, except in 
 fome places, which they leave free; and therein lay 
 themfelves in Ambufcade. The Bulls feeing the 
 Flame round about them, run away through thole 
 
 Palfages 
 
a Large Country in America. 91 
 
 Pafiages where they fee no Fire; and there fall into 
 the Hands of the Savages, who by thefe Means will 
 kill fometimes above fixfcore in a day. They divide 
 thefe Beafts according to the number of each Family; 
 and fend their Wives to flay them, and bring the Flefli 
 to their Cabins. Thefe Women are fo lufty and 
 ftrong, that they carry on their Back two or three 
 hundred weight, befides their Children; and not- 
 withftanding that Burthen, they run as fwiftly as any 
 of our Soldiers with their Arms. 
 
 Thofe Bulls have a very fine Coat, more like Wooll 
 than Hair, and their Cows have it longer than the 
 Males j their Horns are almoft black, and much 
 thicker, though fomewhat fliorter than thofe of Eu¬ 
 rope: Their Head is of a prodigious Bignefs, as well 
 as their Neck very thick, but at the fame time ex¬ 
 ceeding Ihort: They have a kind of Bump between 
 the two Shoulders: Their Legs are big and fliort, co¬ 
 ver’d with long Wooll; and they have between the 
 two Horns an ugly Bufli of Hair, which falls upon 
 their Eyes, and makes them look horrid. 
 
 The Flefli of thefe Beafts is very relifliing, and 
 full of Juice, efpecially in Autumn : for having gra¬ 
 zed all the Summer long in thofe vaft Meadows, 
 where the Herbs are as high as they, they are then 
 very fat. There is alfo amongft them abundance of 
 Stags, Deers, and wild Goats j and that nothing 
 might be wanting in that Country, for the Conve¬ 
 nience of thofe Creatures, there are Forefts at cer¬ 
 tain diftances, where they retire to reft, and Ihelter 
 themfelves againft the violence of the Sun. 
 
 They change their Country according to the Sea- 
 fons of the Year j for upon the approach of the Win¬ 
 ter, they leave the North to go to the Southern Parts. 
 They follow one another, fo that you may fee a 
 Drove of them for above a League together, and flop 
 all at the fame place; and the Ground where they 
 ufe to lie is cover’d with wild Purflain ; which makes 
 
A New DifcoVery of 
 
 me believe, that the Cows Dung is very fit to pro¬ 
 duce that Herb. Their Ways are as beaten as our 
 great Roads, and no Herb grows therein. They 
 fwim over the Rivers they meet in their Way, to go 
 and graze in other Meadows. But the Care of the 
 Cows for their Young Ones, cannot be too much 
 admir’d ; for there being in thofe Meadows a great 
 quantity of Wolves, who might furprize them, they 
 go to calve in the Iflands of the Rivers, from whence 
 they don’t ftir till the young Calves are able to fol¬ 
 low them ; for then they can prated them again!! 
 any Beaft whatfoever. 
 
 Thefe Bulls being very convenient for the Subfi- 
 ftence of the Savages, they take care not to fcare 
 them from their Country ; and they purfue only 
 thofe whom they have wounded with their Arrows: 
 But thefe Creatures multiply in fuch a manner, that 
 notwithftanding the great Numbers they kill every 
 Year, they are as numerous as ever. 
 
 The Women fpin the Wooll of thefe Bulls, and 
 make Sacks thereof to carry their Fle/h in, which 
 they dry in the Sun, or broil upon Gridirons. They 
 have no Salt, and yet they prepare their Flelh fo well, 
 that it keeps above four Months without breeding 
 any Corruption ; and it looks then fo frelh, that one 
 wou’d think it was newly kill’d. They commonly 
 boil ir, and drink the Broth of it inftead of Water. 
 This is the ordinary Drink of all the Savages of A - 
 merica, who have no Commerce with the Europeans. 
 We follow’d their Example in this particular j and it 
 mull be confefs’d, that that Broath is very whol- 
 fome. 
 
 The Skin of one of thofe Bulls ufually weighs 
 about fixfeore Pound j but the Savages make ufe only 
 of the thinneft part, as that of the Belly? which they 
 drefs with the Brains of all (bits of Beaus, and there¬ 
 by make it as (oft as our Shamois Skins. They paint 
 them with feveral Colours, and adorn with pieces 
 
a Large Country in America; 9; 
 
 of Porcupine-Skins, red and white, the Gowns they 
 make thereof, to appear fplendidly at Feafts, and on 
 other folemn Occafions. They make other Gowns 
 againft cold Weather, wherewith they cover them- 
 felves during the Winter; but thefe plain Gowns, 
 cover’d with curl’d Wooll, are,, in my Opinion, the 
 fineft as well as the beft. 
 
 When they kill any Cows, their young Calves Fol¬ 
 low them, and lick their Hands. They bring them 
 to their Children, who eat them,- after having for 
 fome time play’d with them. They keep the Hoots 
 of thofe little Creatures, and when they are very 
 dry, they tie them to fome Wand, and move them 
 according to the various Poftures of thofe who fing 
 and dance. This is the moft ridiculous Mufical In- 
 ftrument that I ever met with. 
 
 Thefe young Calves might be eafily tamd, and 
 made ufe of to plow the Land, which would be very 
 advantageous to the Savages. Thefe Bulls find in all 
 Seafons Forrage to fubfift by ; for if they are fur- 
 priz’d in the Northern Countries by the Snow, be¬ 
 fore they can reach the Southern Parts, they have 
 the dexterity to remove the Snow, and eat the Grafs 
 under it. They bellow like our European Bulls, but 
 not fo frequently. 
 
 Though thefe Bulls are taller and bigger than thole 
 of Europe, they are however fo fwift, that no Savage 
 can overtake them : They are fo timorous, that they 
 run away from any Man, except when they are 
 wounded ; for then they are dangerous, and often 
 kill the Savage who purlues them. ’Tis a diverting 
 Profped to fee near the Banks of the Rivers, feveral 
 Droves of thofe Bulls of about four or five hundred 
 together, grazing in thofe green Meadows. 
 
 There are feveral other Bealls in that Country, as 
 I obferv’d in my Account of Louifiana, as Stags, wild 
 Goats, Beavers, and Otters; there are alfo Bullards, 
 which have an excellent Tafte j' Swans, Tortoifes, 
 
 Turkey- 
 
94 d Ne# Difcovery of 
 
 Turkey-Cocks, Parrots, and Partridges. There are 
 alfo an incredible quantity of Pelicans, whofe Bills 
 are of a prodigeous Size ; and a great many other 
 forts of Birds, and other Beafts. 
 
 The Rivers are plentifully flock’d with Fifli, and 
 the Soil is very fertile. The Forefts afford all man¬ 
 ner of Timber fit for Building , and efpecially Oak; 
 which is there much better than in Canada, and 
 would be excellent for building Ships. That Timber 
 might be fquar’d, faw’d, and ready prepar’d upon > 
 the Spot, and brought over into Europe ; which 
 would be very convenient, and give time to the 
 Trees of our Forefts to grow, whereas they are in a 
 manner exhaufted. 
 
 There are in thofe Forefts abundance of Trees bear¬ 
 ing good Fruit, and of wild Vines, which produce 
 Bunches of Grapes a foot and a half long, and of 
 which when ripe may be made very good Wine. 
 One may fee there alfo large Countries cover’d with 
 good Hemp, growing naturally fix or (even foot in 
 height. In fl lort, by the Experiments I made among 
 the IJlati, and the Illinois , I am perfwaded that the 
 Soil of that Country would produce all manner of 
 Corn, Fruits, &c. even more plentifully than in any 
 part of Europe , feeing there are two Crops every 
 Year. 
 
 The Air is very temperate, clear, and open, and 
 the Country water’d with feveral Lakes, Brooks, 
 and Rivers, which are for the mod part navigable. 
 The Gnats and other little Flies that are fo trouble- 
 (ome in Canada , and fome other dangerous Beafts, 
 are unknown in this Country ; which in two Years 
 time might fupply its Inhabitants, if cultivated, 
 with all things neceflary for Life, without wanting 
 any thing from Europe ; and the Iflands of America , 
 with Wine, Bread, and Fleih. The Bucaniers might 
 kill pi that'Country a greater number of Bulls than 
 in all the Iflands they refort to. There are Mines of 
 
 Coal, 
 
a Large Country in America. ^ 
 
 Coal, Slate, and Iron; and feveral Pieces of fine red 
 Copper, which I have found now and then upon the 
 Surface of the Earth, makes me believe that there 
 are Mines of it j and doubtlefs of other Metals and 
 Minerals, which may be difcover’d one time or ano¬ 
 ther. They have already found Allom in the Coun¬ 
 try of the Iroquefe. 
 
 CHAP, XXXI. 
 
 An Account of our Arrival to the Country of the Illinois 1 , 
 one of the mofi numerous Nations of the Savages of 
 America. 
 
 TTHis Word Illinois comes, as it has been already ob- 
 A ferv’d, from Mini, which in the Language of that 
 Nation fignifies A Verfetl and accomplifltd Man. The 
 Villages of the Illinois are fituated in a Marfhy Plain, 
 about the Fortieth Degree of Latitude, on the Right 
 fide of the River, which is as broad as the Meufe. 
 Their greateft Village may have in it Four or five 
 hundied Cabins, every Cabin five or fix Fires, and 
 each Fire one or two Families, who live together in 
 great Concord. Their Cabins are cover’d with Mats 
 of flat Rufhes, fo clofely few’d together, that no 
 Wind, Rain, or Snow can go thro 5 it. The Union 
 that reigns amongft that Barbarous People, ought to 
 cover with Shame the Chriftiansj amongft whom 
 we can fee no Trace of that brotherly Love, which 
 united the Primitive Profelfors of Chriftianicy. 
 
 When the Savages have gather’d in their Indian 
 Corn, they dig fome Holes in the Ground, where 
 they keep it for Summer-time, becaufe Meat does not 
 keep in hot Weather ; whereas they have very little 
 occafion for it in Winter; and ’tis then their Cuftom 
 to leave their Villages, and with their whole Families 
 to go a hunting wild Bulls, Beavers, &c, carrying 
 
 with 
 
9 6 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 with them but a fmall quantity of their Corn, which 
 however they value fo much, that the. moft fenfible 
 Wrong one can do them, in their Opinion, is to take 
 fome of their Corn in their abfence. We found no 
 Body in the Village, as we had forefeen ; for the Il¬ 
 linois had divided themfelves, according to their Cu- 
 ftom, and were gone a hunting. Their Abfence 
 caus’d a great Perplexity amongft us; for we want¬ 
 ed Provilions, and yet durft not meddle with the In¬ 
 dian Corn the Savages had laid under Ground, for 
 their Subiiftence, and to fow their Lands with. How- 
 ever, our Neceffity being very great, and it being 
 impoffible to continue our Voyage without any Pro- 
 vifions, efpecially feeing the Bulls and other Beafts 
 had been driven from the Banks of the River, by 
 means of Fire, as I have related in my former Chap¬ 
 ter, M. la Salle refolv’d to take about forty Bulhels 
 of Corn, in hopes to appeafe the Savages with fome 
 Prefents. 
 
 We embark’d again with thefe frelh Provifions, 
 and continu’d to iail down the River, which runs 
 diredrly to the South. Four Days after, being the 
 Firft of January, 1680. we faid Mafs; and having 
 wilh’d a happy New-year to M. la Salle, and to all 
 others, I thought fit to make a pathetical Exhortati¬ 
 on to our Grumblers, to encourage them to go on 
 chearfully, and infpire them with Union and Con¬ 
 cord. Father Gabriel, Zenobe, and I, embrac’d them 
 afterwards; and they promis’d us to continue firm in 
 their Duty. The tame Day we went thro’ a Lake 
 form’d by the River, about leven Leagues long, and 
 one broad. The Savages call that Place Pimiteom ; 
 that is, in their Tongue, A Place where there u abun¬ 
 dance of fat Beafts. When the River of the Illinois 
 freezes, which is but feldom, it freezes only to this 
 Lake, and never from thence to the Mefchafip, into 
 which this River falls. M. la Salle obferv’d here the 
 Elevation of the Pole, and found that this Lake lies 
 
a Large Country in America. 97 
 
 in the Latitude of thirty three Degrees and forty five 
 Minutes. 
 
 We had been inform’d that the Illinois were our 
 Enemies; and therefore M./.« Salle had refolv'd to 
 ufe all manner of Precautioi 1 when we Ihould meet 
 with them ;*but we found out felves on a fudden in 
 the middle of their Camp, which took up both fides 
 of the River. M. la Salle order’d immediately his 
 Men to make their Arms ready, and brought his Ca- 
 nou’s into a Line, placing hSmfelf to the Right, and 
 M. Tonti to the Left; fo that we took aimoft the 
 whole breadth of the River. The Illinois, who had 
 not yet difeover’d our Fleet, were very much fur- 
 priz’d to fee us coming fo fwiftly upon them ; for 
 the Stream was extraordina ry rapid in that Place: 
 Some run to their Arms; but moll took their Flight, 
 with horrid Cries and Howlings. 
 
 The Current brought us in the mean time to their 
 Camp; and M. la Salle went the very firlt a-fhoar, 
 follow’d by his Men ; which encreas’d the Confterna- 
 tion of the Savages, whom \Ve might have eafily de¬ 
 feated ; but as it was not our Ddign, we made a 
 Halt to give them time to recover themfelves, and lee 
 that we were no Enemies. M. la Salle might have 
 prevented their Confulion, by Ihewing his Calumet, 
 or Pipe of Peace ; but he was afraid the Savages 
 wou’d impute it to our Weaknefs. 
 
 The Illinois being exceedingly terrify’d, tho’ they 
 were feveral thouland Men, tender’d us die Calumet 
 of Peace; and then we offer’d them ours; which 
 being accepted on both fides, an extraordinary Joy 
 fucceeded the terrible Fears the had been under upon 
 our landing. They fent immediately to fetch back 
 thofe who tied away; and Father Zenobe and I went 
 to their Cabins. We took their Children by the 
 Hand, and exprefs’d our Love for them with all fF 
 Signs vve cou'd : We did the tike to the Old Men , 
 having Compaflion of thofe poor Creatures, who 
 
 H are 
 
2 8 A ISlew Difcowry of 
 
 arc fo miferable as to be ignorant of their Creator 
 and Redeemer. I 
 
 Moft of the Savages, who had run away upon our 
 landing, undemanding that we were Friends, re¬ 
 turn’d 5 but fome others had been fo terrifid, that 
 they did not come back till three or four Days after, 
 that they wef told that we had fmoak’d in their Ca- 
 tvmtf of Peace. In the mean time we had difcours'd 
 the Chief of the Illinois by our Interpreter, and told 
 them, that we were Inhabitants of Canada. , and 
 their Friends; that we were come to teach them the 
 Knowledge of the Captain of Heaven and Earth, 
 and the Ufe of Fire-arms, which were unknown to 
 them ; with feveral other things relating to their Ad¬ 
 vantage. We were forc’d to make ufe of-thefe me¬ 
 taphorical Exprdjiohs, to give them fome Ueaof the 
 Supreme D E IT Y. They heard our' Difcourks 
 with great attention, and afterwards gave a great 
 Shout for Joy, repeating thefe Words: Tepatm-N:ka ; 
 That is, IVcll, my Brother, my Friend j thou haft- done v«y 
 v-ell. Thefe Savages have more llamanity than all 
 the others of the Northern America t, and underftand- 
 incr the Subject of our Errand, exprefs’d great Gra- 
 titude thereupon. I hey rubb d our Logs and Feet 
 near the Fire, with Oil of Bears and Wild Bulls Fat, 
 which, after much Travel, is an incomparable Re- 
 frdhment; and prefented us fome Flefli to eat, put¬ 
 ting the three ftritMoi fels into our Mouth with great 
 Ceremonies. This is a great piece ot Civility, amonglt 
 
 M. /<* Salle prefented them with fome Tobacco 
 from Martmico, and fome Axes; and told them, t ut 
 he had defir’d 'them to meet to treat about lome 
 weighty Matters; hut that there was one in pa}«- 
 cular, which he would dilcourle them upon befo 
 any other. He add ? d, that he knew how neceffary 
 their Corn was to them ;. but that being leduc 
 an unlpeakable NeceOity when he came to their V it- 
 
a Large Country in America. 99 
 
 lage, and feeing no probability to fubfift, he had been 
 forc’d to rake fome Corn from their Habitations 
 without their leave : That he would give ’em Axes, 
 and other things, in lieu of it, if they could fpare it; 
 that if they could not, they were free to take it 
 again ; concluding, That- if they were not able to 
 fupply us with Provifions, he defign’d tp continue 
 his Voyage, and go to their Neighbours, who would 
 heartily give him what was necelfary for his Subli- 
 ftence ; but however, to fliew them his Kindnefs, he 
 would leave a Smith among them, to mend their 
 Axes and other Tools we ftiould fupply them with. 
 The Savages having confider’d our Propofals, -granted 
 all our Demands, and made Alliance with us. 
 
 We vyere oblig’d to ufc many Precautions to make 
 our Alliance lafting and lolid, becaufe our Enemies 
 did their utmoft to prevent it. The very fame Day 
 we came to the Camp of the Illinois, one of the 
 Chief Captains of the Mafcoutens, whole Name was 
 Monfo, arriv’d alfo with fome Miami's, and other 
 young Men, who brought with them fome Axes, 
 Knives, Kettles, and other Gpods. Our Enemies 
 had chofen him for that Embaflie, knowing that die 
 Illinois would rather believe him than the Miami's , 
 becaufe they had never been in War with the Mafeou- 
 tens. This Savage arriv’d pretty late, and caball d all 
 die Night long again!! us: He told them. That M. 
 la- Salle was a great Friend of the Iroquefe, who were 
 to follow him fpeedily, with fome of the Europeans 
 from Canada, to invade them, and deftroy their Na¬ 
 tion ; and that he was fent by fome of the Europeans 
 themfelves, who could not approve that Treachery 
 of their Country-men, to give them notice thereof, 
 that they might not be furpriz’d. He enforc’d his 
 Arguments, by prefenting them with all the Goods 
 he had brought along with him ; and thinking he 
 had gain’d his Point, went back the fame Night, fear¬ 
 ing, with much Reafon, that M. la Salle would re- 
 
 H 2 fent 
 
loo A New Vi]covery of 
 
 fent that Mafter-piece of Villany, and punilh him 
 for it. The Illinois were aifembled in Council all the 
 Night, ( for they never treat of any fecret Affairs du¬ 
 ring the Day) and did not know what Meafures to 
 take ; for tho’ they did not believe all the Stories the 
 Mdcouten had made unto them, yet the next Day 
 they appear’d very indifferent, and miftruftful Oi us. 
 As they feem’d to contrive fomething againft us, we 
 began to be uneafic 5 but M. l<t Salle, who fufpedted 
 that their fudden Alteration towards us was the Ef¬ 
 fect of a falfe Report, made fuch Prefents to one of 
 their Chiefs, that he told him all the Particulars of 
 the Embaflie and Negotiation of Monfo ; and there¬ 
 by enabled him to remove the Jealoufie of the Illinois , 
 and confound the wicked Defigns of our Enemies. 
 
 He manag’d that Point with fuch Dexterity, that 
 he did not only regain the Friendlhip of that Nation, 
 but likewife undeceiv’d the Mafcouten and Miami 1; 
 and was Mediator between the latter and the Illinois, 
 who by his means made an Alliance, which lalled all 
 the while we remain’d in thole Countries. 
 
 C H A P. XXXII. 
 
 An Account of what hapned to us while we remain <1 
 among ^Illinois, till the Building of a New Fort. 
 
 S Ome Days after, Nikanape, Brother to Cheflagcu- 
 ajfe, the molt considerable Chief of the Illsnoa, 
 who was then ablent, invited us to a great Fea ; 
 and before we fate down to eat, made a long ^P eec ’j 
 very different from what the other Captains had to 
 us upon our arrival. He faid that he had invited us 
 not lo much to give us a Treat, as to endeavour to 
 diffuade us from the Resolution we had taken, to go 
 down to the Sea by the great River Mefcbafspi. M 
 added, That Several had periih’d, having veaturd 
 
 11 Dvll 
 
a Large Country in America. i o i 
 
 upon the fame Enterpvize, the Banks of that River 
 being inhabited by barbarous and bloody Nations, 
 whom we ihould be unable to refilly notwithftanding 
 our Valour and the Goodnefs of our Arms; that that 
 River was foil of dangerous Monflers, as Crocodiles, 
 Tritons , ( meaning a Sea-moniler ) and Serpents ; 
 that fuppofing the Barque we defign’d to build was big 
 enough to protect us again!! the Dangers he had men¬ 
 tion'd, yet it would avail us nothing again!! another 
 which was inevitable : For, faid he, the River Mef- 
 chafipi is Jo full of Rocks and Falls towards its Month, 
 that the Rapidity of the Current cannot be majler d, which 
 will carry . your Barque into a horrid Whirlpool, that /wal¬ 
 lows up every thing that comes near it ; and even the River 
 it felf, which appears no more, lofing it [elf in that hide¬ 
 ous and bottomi 
 
 He added lo many other Circumftances, and ap¬ 
 pear’d fo ferious, and fo much concern’d for us, that 
 two of our Men, who underllood their Language, 
 but not their Politicks,'were moved at it, and their 
 Fear appeal'd in their Faces. We obferv’d it, but 
 could not help it; for it would be an unpardonable 
 Affront to interrupt a Savage ; and befides, we had 
 perhaps encreas’d the Alarms of our Men. When 
 Nikanape had made an end of his Difcourfe, we an- 
 fwer’d him in fo calm a manner, that he con’d not 
 fancy we were furpris’d at Iris Objcdions again!! our 
 Voyage. » 
 
 Our Interpreter told him, by order of M. la Salle, 
 that we were much oblig’d to him for the Advices he 
 gave us; but that the Difficulties and Dangers he had 
 mention’d, would make our Enterprize Hill more 
 glorious; that we fear’d the Mafter of the Life of all 
 Men, who rul’d the Sea, and all the World; and 
 therefore woiPd think it a Happineis to lay down our • 
 Lives to make his Name known to all his Creatures. 
 
 We added, that we believ’d that mol! of the Dan¬ 
 gers he had mention’d were not in being; but that 
 
 H 3 
 
 the 
 
ioi A Hew Dif cover y of 
 
 the Friendfhip he had for us, had put him upon that 
 Invention, to oblige us to remain with them. We 
 thought fit, however, to let him know, that we per¬ 
 ceiv'd our Enemies had fomented fome Jealoufies in 
 their Mind, and that they feem’d to miftruft our De- 
 figns; but as we were lincere in our Dealings, we 
 defir’d them to let us know freely, and without any 
 Difguife, the Grounds of their Sufpicions, that wg 
 might fatisfie them, and clear our (elves j concluding, 
 that feeing our Demand was fo juft and equitable, 
 we expected they would grant it, or elle that we 
 ftiould have reafon to think that the Joy they had ex- 
 prefs’d upon our Arrival, and the Friendfhip they had 
 lince fhew’d to us, was nothing but a Deceit and Dif- 
 fimulation. Nikanape was not able to anfwer us, and 
 therefore chang’d his Difcourfe, defiling us to eat. 
 
 The Dinner being over, our Interpreter reaffum’d 
 his Difcourfe, and told the Company, that we were 
 not furpriz’d at the Envy their Neighbours exprefs’d 
 about our Arrival into their Country, becaufe they 
 knew too well the Advantages of Commerce, and 
 therefore would engrofs it to themfelves, and obftruft 
 by all means our good Correlpondence; but that we 
 wonder’d that they wou'd give Ear to the Suggeftions 
 of our common Enemies, and conceal any thing 
 from us, fince we had fo fincerely acquainted them 
 with our Defigns. '■ 
 
 We did not Jleep, Brother, faid he, directing his Dif¬ 
 courfe to Nicanape , when Monlo was caballing amongst 
 you in the 'Night to our * Prejudice, endeavouring to make you 
 believe that we were Spies of the Iroquefe. The Prefints 
 he made to enforce his Lies, are fill hidden in this Cabin. 
 But why has he run away immediately after, infiead of ap¬ 
 pearing pubtickly to juftifie his Ac-Cuj at ion ? Thou art a Wit- 
 'nefi thy felf, that upon our landing we might have kill'd 
 all thy Nephews, and done what our Enemies tell you we 
 defign to do, after we have made Alliance with thee, and 
 fettled our felves amongf yon. But if it were our Defgn, 
 
a Large Country in America. 105 
 
 why Jlmld we defer to put it into ex ecution ? And who hin¬ 
 ders our Warriows, who are here with'me, to kill all of 
 you, _whil(l your young Men are a hunting ? Thou hafl keen 
 told,' that our Valour is terrible to the Iroquefe them!elves", 
 and therefore we need not. their 'Ajjifance to wage War with 
 thee, if it were cur Dejign. 
 
 But to remove even the leaf Pretence of Suspicion and 
 Jealoufie, Jend Jotnebody to bring ba.k that malicious Ac¬ 
 cuser, and wc will fiay here to confute him in thy Prefence : 
 For how can he know us, Jceing hr never faw us in his 
 Life ? And how can he be acquainted with the fecret 
 League we have made with the Iroquefe, whom he knows 
 only by Name ? Confider our Equipage ; we have nothing 
 but Tools and Goods, which can never be made ufe of, but 
 for the Good of thy Nation, and not for its Detraction, as 
 our Enemies would make thee believe. 
 
 This Difcourfe mov’d them very much ; and they 
 lent after Monfo to bring him back ; but the Snow 
 which fell that Night fpoil d the Traci - , and fo he 
 could not be over-taken. He had remain’d for fome 
 Days not tar from us, to know what would be the 
 luccefs of his Embaflie. However, fome of our Men 
 lay under fuch terrible Appiehenfions, that we could 
 never recover their Courage, nor remove their Fears j 
 fo that fix of them who had the Guard that Night 
 (amongft which were two Sawers, the moll neceila- 
 ry of our Workmen for building our Ship ) run a- 
 way, taking with them what they thought necelfary; 
 but confidering the Country through which they 
 were to travel, and the Seafon of the year, we may 
 fay, that for avoiding an uncertain Peril, they ex¬ 
 pos’d themfelves to a moll certain Danger. 
 
 M. la Salle feeing that thofe fix Men were gone, 
 and fearing that this Defertion would make a difad- 
 vantageous Impreflion upon the Savages, he order’d 
 his Men to tell the Illinois, that he had refolv’d to 
 (end after them to punifh them as they deferv’d ; but 
 that tire Seafon being fo hard, he was loth to expofe 
 
 H 4 his 
 
to4 ^ New Difcolrery of 
 
 his Men; and that thofe Deferters would be fevercly 
 \y punilh'd in Canada. In the meam time we ex¬ 
 horted the reft to continue firm in their Duty, af- 
 furing them, That if any were afraid of venturing 
 themfelves upon the River Mefcbafipi, becaufe of the 
 Dangers Nikanape had mention’d, M. la Salle would 
 give them leave to return next Spring to Canada, and 
 allow them a Canou to make their Voyage ; where¬ 
 as they could not venture to return home at this time 
 of the Year, without expofing themfelves to perilh 
 with Hunger, Cold, or the Hands of the Savages. 
 
 They promis'd Wonders; but M. la Salle knowing 
 their lnconftancy, and difiembling the Vexation their 
 want of Courage and Refolution caus’d him, refolv’d 
 to prevent any farther Subornation, and to leave the 
 Camp of the Illinois ; but left his Men fhould not 
 confent to it, he call’d them together and told them 
 v/e were not fafe among the Illinois , and that perhaps 
 the Iroqmfe would come in a little time toattack them; 
 and that thefe being not able to refill, they were like 
 to run away, and betake themfelves to the Woods, 
 and leave us expos’d to the Mercy of the Iroyuefe, 
 whofe Cruelty was fufticiently known to us; there¬ 
 fore he knew no other Remedy but to fortifie a Pod, 
 where we might defend our felves both again!! the Il¬ 
 linois and Iroquefe, as occafion fhould require. Thefe 
 Reafons, with fome other Arguments which I added 
 to the fame purpofe, proved powerful enough k> en¬ 
 gage them to approve M. la Sailed Defign ; and fo it 
 was refolv’d to build a Fort in a very advantageous 
 Place on the River,four Day’s Journey below the great 
 Village of the Illinois. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
a Large Country in America. 105 
 
 C H A P. XXXIII. 
 
 Reflexions upon the Temper and Manners of the Illi¬ 
 nois, anil the little Difpofition they have to embrace 
 Chrifiianity. • ■' 
 
 B Efore I fpeak in particular of the Illinois, I think 
 fit to obferve here, that there is a Nation of the 
 Miami's, who inhabit the Banks of a fine River, with¬ 
 in fifteen Leagues from the Lake, in the Latitude of 
 41 Degrees. The Maikcutens and Outtouagami s live 
 more Northward on the River Mellioki, which runs 
 into the Lake in the Latitude of 43 Degrees. To the 
 Weft of it live the Kikapous and Amoves, who have 
 two Villages; and to the Weft of thefe there is the 
 Village of the Illinois Cafcafchia, fituated towards the 
 Source of the River Checagoumcnans. The Authoutan- 
 tas and Maskoutens NadoueJJlans live within one hun¬ 
 dred and thirty Leagues of the Illinois, in three great 
 Villages, on the Banks of a fine River which difchar- 
 ges it felfinto the great River Mefchafipi. Welhall 
 have occafion to taik of thefe and feveral other 
 Nations. . 
 
 Molt of thefe Savages, and efpecially the Illinois, 
 make their Cabins of flat Rulhes, which they few 
 together, and line them with the fame ; fo that no 
 Rain can go through it. They are tall, ftrong, and 
 manage their Bows and Arrows with great dexteri¬ 
 ty ; for they did not know the ufe of Fire-Arms 
 before we came into their Country. They are Lazy, 
 Vagabonds, Timorous, Pettifh, Thieves, and lb fond 
 of their Liberty, that they have no great Relped for 
 their Chiefs. . . 
 
 Their Villages are open, and not enclos'd with 
 Palifado’s, as in fome other Places, becaufe they have 
 not Courage enough to defend them, for they fly 
 
 away 
 
106 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 away as foon as they hear their Enemies approach. 
 Befides their Arrows, they ufe two other Weapons, 
 a kind of a Pike, and a Club of Wood. Their Coun¬ 
 try is fo fertile, that it fupplies them with all Necef- 
 faries for Life, and efpecially fmce we taught them 
 the ufe of Iron Tools to cultivate it. 
 
 Hermaphrodites are very common amongft them, 
 which is fo much the more furprizing, becaufe I 
 have not obferv’d any fuch thing amongft the other 
 Nations of the Northern America. Poligamy is al¬ 
 low'd amongft them j and they generally marry fe- 
 veral Sifters, thinking they agree better than Stran¬ 
 gers. They are exceedingly jealous, and cut the 
 Nofes of their Wives upon the leaft fufpicion. Not- 
 withftanding they have feveral Wives, they are fo 
 lafcivious as to be guilty of Sodomy, and keep Boys 
 whom they cloath with Womens Apparel, becaufe 
 they make of them that abominable Ufe. Thefe Boys 
 live in their Families amongft Women, without going 
 either to their Wars or Hunting. As to their Religion 
 1 obferv’d that they are very fuperftitious ; but I cou’d 
 never difcover that they had any WorJhip, nor any 
 Reafon for their Superftition. They are great Game- 
 fters, as well as all the other Savages that I have 
 known in America. 
 
 As there are fome ftony Places in this Country, 
 where there is a great quantity of Serpents, very trou- 
 fome to the Illinois , they know feveral Herbs which 
 are a quicker and furer Remedy againft their Venom, 
 than our Treacle or Orviet^n. They rub themfelves 
 with thefe Herbs, after which they play with thofe 
 dangerous Serpents, without receiving any hurt. 
 They take the young ones and put them fometimes 
 into their Mouth. They go ftark naked in Summer¬ 
 time, wearing only a kind of Shooes made of the 
 Skins of Bulls; but the Winter being ; retty fevere 
 in their Country, tho’ very ihort, they wear Govyns 
 made of the Skins of Wilu Beafts, or of Bulls, which 
 
y 
 
 a Large Country in America. 107 
 
 they drefs and paint moft curioufly, as I have alrea¬ 
 dy obferv’d. . 
 
 The Illinois , as moft of the Savages of America, 
 being brutilh, wild, and ftupid, and their Manners 
 being fo oppofite to the Morals of the Gofpel, their 
 Converfion is to be defpair’d of, till Time and Com¬ 
 merce with the Europeans has remov’d their natural 
 Fiercenefsand Ignorance, and thereby made ’em more 
 apt to be fenfible of the Charms of Chriftianity. I 
 have met with fome who were more teachable; and 
 Father Ztnobe told me, that he Baptiz’d two or three 
 of them at the point of Death, becaufe they defir’d 
 it; and fhevv’d fome good Difpofition to induce him 
 to grant that Demand. They will readily fuffer us 
 to baptize their Children, and ‘ would not refufe it 
 themfelves; but they are incapable of any previous In- 
 ftru&ion concerning the Truth of the Gofpel, and the 
 -Efficacy of the Sacraments. Would I follow the Ex¬ 
 ample of fome..other Miffionaries, I could haveboafted 
 of many Cohvei lions; for I might have ealily bap¬ 
 tiz’d all thofe Nations, and then lay, as I am afraid 
 they do without any ground. That I had .conver¬ 
 ted them. 
 
 Father Zenobe- had met with two Savages, who had 
 promis’d to follow him every where, whom he in- 
 ftru&ed and baptiz’d; but tho’ they were more trada¬ 
 ble than the reft, they would not leave their Coun¬ 
 try ; and he underftood afterwards, that one of them, 
 whofe Name was Ghajfagomche, was dead in the hands 
 of the j funglers, and confequently in the Superftitions 
 of his Country-Men ; fo that hft Baptifm ferv’d on¬ 
 ly to make him duplo Film Gehenna. 
 
 
 CHAP. 
 
io8 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 An Account of the Building of a Nevs Fort on the River of 
 the Illinois, named by the Savages Checagou, and bj 
 us Fort Crevecceur ; as alfo a Barque to go down the 
 River Mefchafipi. , 
 
 I Muft obferve here, that the hardeft Winter lafts 
 not above two Months in this charming Country; 
 lo that on the i yth of January there came a fudden 
 Thaw, which made the Rivers navigable, and the 
 Weather fo mild as it is with us in the middle of the 
 Spring. M. la Salle improving this fair Seafon, de¬ 
 fil’d me to go down the River with him to choofe a 
 Place fit to build our Fort. After having view’d the 
 Country we pitch’d upon an Eminence on the Bank 
 of the River, defended on that fide by the River, and 
 on two others by two Ditches the Rains had made 
 very deep by fucceflion of Time; fo that it wasac* 
 ceffible only by one way ; therefore we caft a Line 
 to joyn thofe two natural Ditches, and made the 
 Eminence fteep on every fide, fupporting the Earth 
 with great pieces of Timber. We made a hafty 
 Lodgment thereupon , to be ready to defend us in 
 cafe the Savages would obftrutf the building of our 
 Fort; but no body offering to difturb us, wc went 
 on diligently with our work. Fathers Gabriel, Zrnbe, 
 and I, made in the mean time a Cabin of Planks, 
 wherein our Workmen came to Prayers every Morn¬ 
 ing and Evening; but having no Wine, we could not 
 fay Mafs. The Fort being half fini/h’d, M. la Salk 
 lodg’d himlelf in the middle with M. Tmti ; and eve¬ 
 ry body took his Poll. We plac’d our Forge along 
 the Courtin on the fide of the Wood, ai d laid in a 
 great quantity of Coals for that ufe. 
 
 In the mean time our thoughts were always bent 
 
 towards 
 
a Large Country in America. 109 
 
 towards our Difcovery, and M. la Salle and I had fre¬ 
 quent Conferences about it: But our greateft diffi¬ 
 culty was to build a Barque ; for our Sawers being 
 gone, we did not know what to do. However, as 
 the Timber was cheap enough, we told our Men, 
 that if any of them would undertake to faw Boards 
 for Building the faid Barque, we might furmount 
 all other Difficulties. Two Men undertook it; and 
 : though they had never try’d it before, they fucceed- 
 1 ed very well, fo that we began to build a Barque, 
 
 1 the Keel whereof was forty two Foot lpng. Our 
 I Men went on fo briskly with the Work, that on the 
 [ firft of March our Barque was half built, and all the 
 Timber ready prepar’d for the finifliing of it. Our 
 Fort was alfo very near finilh’d; and we nam’d it 
 the Fort of Crevecoeur, becaufe the defertion of our • 
 Men, and t^e other Difficulties we labour’d under, had 
 almoft broke our Hearts. 
 
 Though the Winter is not harder nor longer in the 
 Country of the Illinois , than in Provence , the Snow 
 remain’d upon the Earth, in the Year 1680, for 
 twenty days together, which had not been feen in 
 the Memory of Man. This made the Savages migh¬ 
 tily concern’d, and brought upon us a World of In- 
 conveniencies, belides the many others we fuffer’d. 
 In the mean time we perfected our Fort; and our 
 Barque was in fuch a forwardnefs, that we might 
 have expe&ed to be in a condition to fail in a very 
 ffiort time, had we been provided with all other Ne- 
 ceffaries ; but hearing nothing of our Ship, and 
 therefore wanting the Rigging and other Tackle for 
 our Barque, we found our felves in great perplexity, 
 and did not know what to do in this fad Juncture, 
 being above five hundred Leagues from Fort Fronte- 
 pac, whither it was almoft impoflible to return at 
 that time, becaufe the Snow made the travelling very 
 dangerous by Land, and the Ice made it impracti¬ 
 cable to our Canou’s. 
 
 M. la 
 
no A New VifcoVery of 
 
 M. la Salk did not doubt then but his belov’d Grif¬ 
 fin was loft; but neither this nor the other Difficulties 
 dejefted him; his great Courage buoy’d him up, 
 and he refolv’d to return to Fort Frontenac by Land, 
 notwithstanding the Snow, and the unfpeakable Dan¬ 
 gers attending l'o great a Voyage. We had a long 
 Conference about it in private, wherein having exa¬ 
 min’d all things, it was refolv’d, that he ftiould 
 tor ft to Fort Frontenac with tliree Men, to bring along 
 with him the neceflary things to proceed on our Dif- 
 covery, while I with two Men fliould go in a Canou 
 to die River Mefchafipi , and endeavour to get the 
 Friendfhip of thofe Nations inhabiting the Banks cf 
 that River. Our Refolution was certainly very great 
 and bold ; but there was this efl'ential difference, that 
 the Inhabitants of the Countries through which M. Id 
 Salle was to travel, knew the Europeans i whereas 
 thofe Savages, whom I defign’d to viftt, had never 
 heard of us in their Life; and had been reprefented 
 by the Illinois, as the moft barbarous Nations in the 
 World. However, M. la Salle and I had Courage 
 enough to undertake our difficult Task ; but we had 
 much ado to perfwade five of our Men to follow 
 us, or to engage to expect our Return at Fort 
 Crevecoeur. 
 
 ' CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 Containing an Account of what was t ran fa tied at Fort 
 Crevecoeur before M. la Salle’/ return to Fort Fronte¬ 
 nac j and the Inftruclions we receiv’d fora a Savage 
 concerning the River Mefchafipi. 
 
 B Efore M. la Salle and I parted, we found means 
 to undeceive our Men, and remov’d the ground* 
 lefs Fears they had conceiv’d from what the Illinois , 
 through,the Suggeftions of Monjo, had told us con¬ 
 cerning 
 
a Large Country in America. 111 
 
 cerning the Dangers, or rather the Impoffibility of 
 Sailing upon the River Mefchafipi. Some Savages in¬ 
 habiting beyond that River, came to the Camp of 
 the Illinois, and gave us an Account of it, very diffe¬ 
 rent from what Nikanape had told us, fbme other Sa¬ 
 vages own’d that it was navigable, and not inter¬ 
 rupted by Roots and Fails, as the Illinois would make 
 us believe; and one of the Illinois themfelves, being 
 gain’d by fome fmall Prefents, told us in great fecre- 
 lie, that the Account their Chief had given us, was a 
 downright Forgery, contriv’d on purpofe to oblige 
 us to give over our Enterprize. This reviv’d fome- 
 what our Men ; but yet they were (till wavering and 
 irrefolute; and therefore M. la Salle faid, that he 
 would fully convince them, that the Illinois had re- 
 folv’d in their Council to forge that Account, in or¬ 
 der to flop our Voyage ; and few days after we njet 
 with a favourable opportunity for it. 
 
 The Illinois had made an Excursion South-ward ; 
 as they were returning with fome Pi ifoners, one of 
 their Warriours came before their Comrades, and 
 vilited us at our Fort; we entertain’d him as well as 
 we could, and ask’d him feveral Queitions touch¬ 
 ing the River Mefchafpi, from whence he came, 
 and where he had been oftentimes, giving him 
 to underftand, that fome other Savage had given 
 us an Account of it. He took a piece of Char¬ 
 coal, and drew a Map of the Courfe of that 
 River, which I found afterwards pretty exaft; and 
 told us, that he had been in a Pyroguc ; that is, a 
 Canou made of the Trunk of a Tree, from the 
 Mouth of this River, very near the Place where the 
 Mefchafipi falls into the great Lake j for fo they call 
 the Sea: That there was neither Falls,'nor rapid 
 Currents, as we had been told; that it was very 
 broad towards the great lake, and interrupted with 
 Banks of Sand ; but that there were large Canals be¬ 
 twixt them, deep enough for any Pyrogue, He told 
 
 %C . . US 
 
* 
 
 ! 12 A New Difcovery of 
 
 us alfo the Name of feveral Nations inhabiting the 
 Banks of Mefchafipi, and of feveral Rivers that fall 
 Into it. I fet down in my Journal all that he told us, 
 of which I jfhall. perhaps give a larger Account in 
 another place. We made him a finall Prefent, to 
 thank him for his kindnefs, in difcover ing a Truth, 
 which the Chief of his Nation had fo carefully con¬ 
 ceal'd. He defir’d us to hold our tongue, and never 
 to mention him, which we promis’d ; and gave him 
 an Axe, wherewith we ihut his mouth, according to 
 the Cuttom of the Savages, when they recommend 
 a Secret. * | 
 
 The next day, after Prayers, we went to the Vil¬ 
 lage of the Illinois ; whom we found in the Cabin of 
 one of their Chiefs; who entertain’d them with a 
 Bear, whofe Flelh is much valu’d among them. 
 They defir’d us to fit down upon a fine Mat of 
 Rufhes: And fome time after our Interpreter told 
 them, that we were come to acquaint them, that 
 the Maker of all Things, and the Matter of the 
 Lives of Men, took a particular Care of us, and had 
 been pleas’d to let us have a true Account of the Ri¬ 
 ver Mefchajipi } the Navigation whereof they had re- 
 prefented to us as impracticable. We added all the 
 Particulars we had learn’d, but in fuch Terms, that it 
 was impoffible they Ihould fufpedt any of their Men. 
 
 The Savages were much furpriz'd,and did not doubt 
 hut we had that Account by fome extraordinary 
 Way; therefore they fhut their Mouths with their 
 Hands $ which is their ufual Cuttom to exprefs their 
 Admiration by. They told us frankly afterwards, 
 that the great defire they had to ftop amongtt them 
 our Captain, and the Grey-Coats or Barefoot , as they 
 call the Francifcans, had oblig’d them to forge the Sto¬ 
 ries they had told us, and to conceal the Truth j but 
 fince we had come to the Knowledge of it by ano¬ 
 ther w^y, they would tell us all that they knew ; 
 and confirm’d every Particular their Warriour had 
 
 #-Alrt 
 
a Large Country in America. i j 3 
 
 told us. This Confeffion remov'd the Fears of our 
 Men, who were few days after ftill more fully per- 
 fwaded that the Illinois had only defign’d to frighten 
 us from our Difcovery : For leveral Savages of the 
 Nations of Ofages, Gikaga, and Akanja, came to fee 
 us, and brought fine Furrs to barter for our Axes. 
 They told us that the Mefchajipi was navigable almoU 
 from its Source to the Sea j and gave us great En¬ 
 couragement to go on with our Delign, alluring us, 
 that all the Nations inhabiting along the River, from 
 the Mouth of that of the Illinois , to the Sea, would 
 come to meet us, and dance the Calumet of Peace, 
 as they exprefs it, and make an Alliance with us. 
 
 The Miamis arriv’d much about that time, and 
 danc’d the Calumet with the Illinois , making an Al¬ 
 liance with them againft the Iroyuefe , their impla¬ 
 cable Enemies. We were Witnelfes to their Treaty; 
 and M. la Salle made them fome Prefents, the better 
 to oblige both Parties to the Obfervation of their 
 League. 
 
 We were three Mifiionaries for that handful of 
 Europeans at Fort Creveceeur ; and therefore we thought 
 fit to divide our felves : Father Gabriel being very 
 old, was to continue with our Men; and Father 
 Zenobe among the Illinois, having defir’d it himfelf, in 
 hopes to convert that numerous Nation : And I, as I, 
 have already related, was to go on with our Difcove¬ 
 ry. Father Zenobe liv’d already among the Illinois, 
 but the rude Manners of that People made him foon 
 weary of it. His Landlord, whole Name was Oma- 
 houha, that is to fay Wolf, was the Head of a Tribe, 
 and took a fpecial Care of Father Zenobe, elpecially 
 after M. la Salle had made him fome Prefents: He 
 lov’d him as his Child; but however, I perceiv’d in 
 the Vifits he made us, (for he liv’d but within half a 
 League of our Fort) that he was not fatisfi’d to live 
 amongft that brutilh Nation, though he ha^l already 
 learn’d their Tongue. This oblig’d me to offer him 
 
 I to 
 
1 14 A New Vlfco'very of 
 
 to take his place, provided he Would fupply mine, 
 and go on with our Difcovery atnongft feveral Nati¬ 
 ons, whole Language we did not underftand, and 
 who had never heard of us ; but Father Zenobe fore- 
 feeing the Danger and Fatigue I was like to be ex¬ 
 pos’d to, chofe to remain with the Illinois whole 
 Temper he knew, and with whom he was able to 
 converfe. 
 
 M. la Salle left M. Totiti to command in Fort Cw- 
 veexur, and order’d our Carpenter to prepare feme 
 thick Planks of Oak, to fence the Deck of our 
 Barque in the nature of a Parapet, to cover it againft 
 the Arrows of the Savages, in cafe they defign’d to 
 ihoot at us from the Shoar. Then calling his Men 
 together, he defir’d them to obey M. Tontt s Orders 
 in his Abfence, to live in a Chriftian Union and 
 Charity ; to be courageous and firm in their Delign ; 
 and above all, to give no credit to the falfe Reports 
 that the Savages might make unto them, either of 
 him, or of their Comrades drat were going with me. 
 He allur’d them, that he would return with all the 
 fpeed imaginable, and bring along with him a frelh 
 Supply of Men, ^Ammunition, and Rigging for our 
 Barque; and that in the mean time he left them Arms, 
 and other things necelfary for a vigorous Defence, 
 in cafe their Enemies Ihould attack them before his 
 Return. 
 
 He told me afterwards, that he expe&ed I Ihould 
 depart without any farther Delay; but I told him, 
 that tho’ I had promis’d him to do it, yet a Defluxi¬ 
 on I had on my Gums a Year fince, as he knew very 
 well, oblig’d me to return to Canada , to be cur’d; 
 and that I would then come back with him. He 
 was very cnuch furpriz’d, and told me, he would 
 write to my Superiours, that I had obftrucled the 
 good Succefs of our Million, and defir’d Father Ga¬ 
 briel to perfwade me to the contrary. That good 
 Man had been my Mailer, during my Novitiate in 
 
 our 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 1 5 
 
 our Convent of Bethsve, in the Province of Artois ; 
 and therefore I had fo great a RefpeA for him, that 
 I yielded to his Advice; and conlider’d, that fince 
 a Man of his Age had ventur’d to come along with 
 me in fo dangerous a Million, it would look as Pufi- 
 lanimity in me to return and leave him. That Fa¬ 
 ther had left a very good Eftate, being Heir of a 
 Noble Family of the Province of Burgundy ; and I 
 muft own, that his Example reviv’d ray Courage up¬ 
 on feveral Occahons. 
 
 M. la Salle was mightily pleas’d when I told him I 
 was refolv’d to go, notwithftanding my Indifpofiti- 
 on: He embrac’d me, and gave me a Calumet of 
 Peace; and two Men to manage our Canou, whole 
 Names were Anthony Auguel, firnam’d the Picard du 
 Gay ; and Mitchel Ako, of the Province of PoiBou, 
 to whom he gave fome Commodities to the value of 
 about 1000 Livres, to trade with the Savages, or 
 make Prelents. He gave to me in particular, and 
 for my own ule, ten Knives, twelve Shooe-maker’s 
 ^ Auls or Bodkins, a finall Roll of Tobacco from Mar- 
 v tinico, about two Pounds of Rajjdde ; that is to fay. 
 Little Pearls or Rings of colour’d Glals, wherewith 
 the Savages make Bracelets, and other Works, and a 
 frnall Parcel of Needles to give to the Savages; tel¬ 
 ling me, that he would have given ms a greater 
 quantity, if it had been in his Power. 
 
 The Reader may judge by thefe Particulars, of the 
 reft of my Equipage for fo great an Undertaking ; 
 
 , however, relying my felf on the Providence of 
 God, I took my leave of M. la Salle, and embrac'd 
 all our Men, receiving the Blefling of Father Gabriel , 
 who told me feveral things, to infpire me with Cou¬ 
 rage ; concluding his Exhortation by thefe Words of 
 the Scripture, Viriliter agt; & confortetur Cor turni. 
 
 M. la Salk fet out a few days after few Canada, with 
 three Men, without any Provilions, but ^iat they 
 kill'd in their Journey, during which they fuffer’d 
 
 I 2 very 
 
i 1 6 A “Hew Difco'Very of 
 
 very much, by reafon of the Snow, Hunger and 
 cold Weather. 
 
 C II A P. XXXVI. 
 
 The Author fets out from Fort Creveceeur, to continue 
 
 his Voyage. 
 
 W " Hofoever will confider the Dangers to which 
 I was going to expofe my felf, in an un¬ 
 known Country, where no European had travell’d 
 before, and amongft fome Savages, whofe Language 
 I did not underftand, will not blame the lleludancy 
 I exprelfed againft that Voyage: I had fuch an Idea 
 of it, that neither the fair Words, or Threats of M. 
 la Salle, would have been able to engage me to ven¬ 
 ture my Life fo rafhly, had I not felt within my felf 
 a fecret but ftrong AlTiirance, if I may ufe that Word, 
 that God would help andprofpermy Undertaking. 
 
 We fet out from Fort Creveceeur on the 29th of 
 February, 16 80, and as we fell down the River, we met 
 with feveral Companies of Savages, who return’d to 
 their Habitations, with their Pirogues or Wooden- 
 Canou’s, loaded with the Bulls they had kill’d : they 
 would fain perfuade us to return with them, and the 
 two Men who were with me, were very willing to 
 follow their Advice; telling me that M .la Salle had as 
 good to have murther’d us: But I oppos’d their De¬ 
 sign, and told them that the reft of our Men wou’d 
 flop them as they fhou’d come by the Fort, if they 
 offer’d to return, and fo we continu’d our Voyage. 
 They confels’d to me the next Day, that they had 
 refolv’d to leave me with the Savages, and make their 
 Efcape with the Canou and Commodities, thinking 
 that there was no Sin in that, lince M. la Salle was 
 indebted to them in a great deal more than their Va¬ 
 lue ; and that I had been very fafe. This was the 
 
a Large Country in America. 117 
 
 firft Difcouragement I met with, and the Forerun¬ 
 ner of a great many others. 
 
 The River of the Illinois is very near as deep and 
 broad as the Meufe and Sambre before Namur • but we 
 found fome Places where ’tis about a quarter of a 
 League broad. The Banks of the River are not even, 
 but interrupted with Hills, difpos’d almolt at an e- 
 qual diftance, and cover’d with fine Trees. The Val¬ 
 ley between them is a Marlhey Ground, which is o- 
 verflow’d after great Rains, efpecially in the Autumn 
 and the Spring. We had the Curiofity to go up one 
 of thofe Frills, from whence we difcover’d vaft Mea¬ 
 dows, with Forefts, fuch as we had feen before we 
 arriv’d at the Village of the Illinois. The River flows 
 fo loftly, that the Current is hardly perceptible, except 
 when it fwells : But it will carry at all times great 
 Barques for above 100 Leagues; that is, from the 
 faid Village to its Mouth. It runs directly to the 
 South-weft. On the 7th of March we met, within 
 two Leagues from the River Mefcbajipj, a Nation of 
 the Savages call’d Tamaroa or Maroa , confifting of a- 
 bout 200 Families. They defign’d to bring us along 
 with them to their Village, which lies to the Weft of 
 Mefchajipi, about feven Leagues from the Mouth of the 
 River of the Illinois j but my Men follow'd my Advice, 
 and wou’d not ftop,in hopes to exchange their Com mo- 
 dities with more Advantage in a more remote Place. 
 Our Refolution was very good ; for I don’t queftion 
 but they would have robb'd us; for feeing we had 
 fome Arms, they thought we were going to carry them 
 to their Enemies. They purfu'd us in their Vyroguet 
 or Wooden-Canows j but ours being made of Bark of 
 Birch-Trees, and confequently ten times lighter than 
 theirs, and better fram’d, we laught at their Endea¬ 
 vours, and got clear of them. They had fenc a Par¬ 
 ty of their Warriours to lie in Ambufcade on a Neck of 
 Land advancing into the River, where they thought 
 we ftiould pafs that Evening or the next Morning; 
 
 I 3 but 
 
118 A'TsLew Difcolrery of 
 
 but having difcover'd fome Smoak on that Point, we 
 fpoil’d their Defign, and therefore crofs'd the River, 
 and landed in a fmall lfland near the other fide, where 
 we lay all the Ni|ht, leaving our Canou in the Wa¬ 
 ter, tinder the Guard of a little Dog ; who doubtlefs 
 wou’d have awak'd us, if any body had offer'd to 
 come near him ; as we expected the Savages might 
 attempt it, fwinuning over in die Night; but no bo¬ 
 dy came to difturb ts. Having thus avoided thofe 
 Savages, we came to the Mouth of the River of the 
 Illinois, dillant from their great Village about ioo 
 Leagues, and 90 from Fort ckvecceur. It falls into 
 the Mejchafifi between 3 y and 3 6 Degrees of Lati¬ 
 tude, and within 120 or 130 Leagues from theGulph 
 of Mexico, according to our Conjecture, without in¬ 
 cluding the Turnings and Windings of the Mefchajipi, 
 from thence to the Sea. 
 
 The Angle between the two Rivers on the South- 
 fide, is a beep Rock of forty Foot high, and flat on 
 the Top,and confequently a fit Place to build a Fort; 
 and on the other fide of the River, the Ground appears 
 blackifh, from whence I judge that it would prove fer¬ 
 tile, and . afford two Crops every Year, for the fub- 
 fiftcnce of a Colony. The Soil looks as if it had been 
 already manur’d. 
 
 The Ice which came down from the Source of the 
 Mefcbajtpi , flopp’d us in that Place till the 12th of 
 March ; for we were afraid of our Canou : But when 
 we favv the Danger over, we continu’d our Courfe, 
 founding the River, to know whether it was naviga¬ 
 ble. There are three fmall Iflands over-againft the 
 Mouth of the River of the Illinois, which flop the 
 i rees and Pieces of Timber that come down the Ri¬ 
 ver ; which by fucceflion of time, has form’d fome 
 Banks: But the Canals are deep enough for the great- 
 eft Barques; and I judge that in the driefl Summer, 
 there is Water enough for flat- bottom-Boats. 
 
a Large Country in America. 11 p 
 
 The Mefcbafyi runs to the South-South-Weft, be¬ 
 tween two Ridges of Mountains, which follow the 
 great Windings of the River. They are near the 
 Banks, at the Mouth of the River of the Illinois, and 
 are not very high; but in other Places, they are fome 
 Leagues diftant; and the Meadows between the Ri¬ 
 ver and the Foot of thofe Hills, are cover’d with an 
 infinite number of wild Bulls. The Country beyond 
 thofe Hills is fo fine and pleafant, that according to 
 the Account I have had, one might juftly call it the 
 Delight of America. 
 
 The Mefchafyi is in fome places a League broad, 
 and half a League where it is narroweft. The Ra¬ 
 pidity in its Current is fomewhat abated, by a great 
 number of Ifiands, cover’d with fine Trees interlac’d 
 with Vines. It receives but two Rivers from the weft 
 Side, one whereof is call’d Otontenta ; and the other 
 difeharges it felf into it near the Fall of St. Anthony 
 of Tadoua, as we fhall obferve hereafter; But fo ma¬ 
 ny others run into the Mefchafpi from tire North, that 
 it fwells very much toward its Mouth. 
 
 I am refolv’d to give here an Account of the Courfe 
 . of that River; which I have hither to conceal’d, for 
 the Sake of M. la Salle , who wou’d aferibe to himfelf 
 alone tire Glory, and the inoft fecret Part of this Dif- 
 covery. He was lo fond of it, that he has expos’d to 
 vifible danger feveral Perfons, that they might not 
 publilh what they had feen, and thereby prejudice 
 his fecret Defigns. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
1 20 
 
 A New Vifcovery of 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 The Courfe of the River Mefchafipi from the Mouth of 
 the River of the Illinois, to the Sea $ which the Author 
 did not think fit to puhlijh in his Louifiana ; with 
 an Account of the Reafons he had to undertake that 
 
 Difcovery. 
 
 T Here is no Man but remembers with Pleafure the 
 great Dangers he has efcap’d; and I muft con- 
 fefs, that when I call to mind the great Difficulties I 
 was under at the Mouth of the River of the Illinois, 
 and the Perils I was expos’d to in the Difcovery of 
 the Courfe of the Mefchafipi, my Joy and Satisfaction 
 cannot be exprefs’d. I was as good as fure that M. la 
 Salle wou’d flahder me, and reprefent me to my Su¬ 
 periors as a wilful and obftinatte Man, if I prelum’d 
 to go down the Mefchafipi inftead of going up to the 
 North , as I was defir’d, and as we had conferted to¬ 
 gether ; and therefore I was very loath to undertake 
 it: But on the other Hand, I was expos’d to ftarve, 
 and threatned by my two Men, that if I oppos’d their 
 Refolution of going down the River, they would 
 leave me a-fhoar during the Night, and carry away 
 the Canou where-ever they pleafed; fo that I thought 
 it was reafonable to prefer my own Prefervation to 
 the Ambition of M. la Salle ; and fo I agreed to fol¬ 
 low my Men ,* who feeing me in that good Difpofiti- 
 on, promis’d that they would be faithful to me. 
 
 W e fhoofc Hands, to feal thefe Promifes ; and af¬ 
 ter Prayers, imbark’d in our Canou the 8th of March, 
 1680. The Ice which came down from the North, 
 gave us a great deal of trouble j but we were fo 
 careful, that our Canou receiv’d no hurt; and after 
 fix Hours rowing, we came to a River of a Nation 
 call’d Of ages } who live toward the Mejforites. That 
 
 River 
 
a Large Country in America. 111 
 
 River comes from the Weft ward, and feems as big 
 as the Mefchafipi ; but the Water is fo muddy, that 
 ’tis almoft impoflible to drink of it 
 
 The IJfati , who inhabit toward the Source of the 
 Mefchafipi, make fonietimes Excurfions as far as the 
 Place where I was then; and I underftood afterwards 
 from them, having learn’d their Language, that this 
 River of the Ofages and Mejforites, is form’d from fe- 
 veral other Rivers, which fpring from a Mountain 
 about twelve Day’s Journey from its Mouth. They 
 told me farther, that from that Mountain one might 
 fee the Sea, and now and then fome great Ships; that 
 the Banks of that River are inhabited by feveral Na¬ 
 tions ; and that they have abundance of wild Bulls 
 and Beavers. 
 
 Tho’ this River is very big, the Mefchafipi does not 
 vifibly fvvell by the acceffion of it; but its Waters 
 continue muddy to its Mouth, albeit feven other Ri¬ 
 vers fall into it, which are near as big as the Mefcha¬ 
 fipi, and whofe Waters are extraordinary clear. 
 
 We lay every Night in Iflands, at leaf! if it were 
 poffible, for our greater Security ; and as foon as we 
 had roafted or boyl’d our Indian Corn, we were very 
 careful to put out our Fire ; for in thefe Countries 
 they fmell Fire at two or three Leagues diftance, ac¬ 
 cording to the Wind. The Savages take a particu¬ 
 lar notice of it, to difcover where their Enemies are, 
 and endeavour to furprize them. 
 
 The 9th we continu’d our Voyage, and fix Leagues 
 from the River of the Ofages, difcoverd on theSouth- 
 fide of the Mejchafipi, a Village, which we thought 
 to be inhabited by the Tamaroa, who had purfu’d us, 
 as I have related. Seeing no body appear, we landed, 
 and went into their Cabins, wherein we found Indian 
 Com, of which we took fome Bufhels, leaving in 
 lieu of it fix Knives, and a fmall quantity of little 
 Glafs-Beads. This was good luck for us; for wp 
 
 durft 
 
til A TSlew T)ifcovery of 
 
 durftnot leave the River, and go a hunting for fear 
 of falling into the Hands of the Savages. 
 
 The next Day, being the Tenth of March , we 
 came to a River within Forty Leagues of Tamma ; 
 near which, as the Illinois inform’d us, there is a Na¬ 
 tion of Savages call’d Ouadebache. We remain’d there 
 till the Fourteenth, becaufe one of our Men kill’d a 
 wild Cow, as Ihe was fwinjming over the River, 
 whofe Flelh we were oblig’d to dry with Smoak, to 
 preferve it from putrifying. Being thus provided 
 with Indian Corn and Flelh, we left that Place the 
 Fourteenth,, and faw nothing worth Oblervation. 
 The Banks of the River are fo muddy, and fo full of 
 Rulhes and Reeds, that we had much ado to find a 
 Place to go alhore. 
 
 The Fifteenth we difcover’d three Savages, who 
 came from Hunting, or from fotne Expedition. As 
 we were able to jijake head againft them, we landed, 
 and march’d up to them; whereupon they run away; 
 but after fome Signs, one return’d, and prefented us 
 the Calumet of Peace, which we receiv’d ; and the 
 others came back. We did not underftand a Word 
 of what they laid ; nor they, I fuppofe, what we 
 told them: Tho’ having nam'd them two or three 
 different Nations, one anfwer’d three times Chikacha, 
 or Sikacha , which was likely the Name of his Nati¬ 
 on. They gave us fome "Pelicans they had kill’d with 
 their Arrows; and we prefented them with part of 
 pur Meat. Our Canou being too little lo take them 
 in, drey continu’d their way, making feveral Signs 
 with their Hands, to follow them along the Shore; 
 but we quickly loft the Sight of them. 
 
 Two days after, we faw a great number of Sava¬ 
 ges near the River-fide ; and heard immediately after 
 a certain Noife, as of a Drum; and as we came 
 near the Shore, the Savages cry’d aloud Safacoueft ; 
 that is to lay, Who goes there ? as I have been inform’d. 
 We were unwilling to land; but they fent us a Pi- 
 
 m<rue 
 
a Large Country in America. 12; 
 
 rogue or heivy Wooden Canou, made of the Trunk 
 of a Tree, which they make hollow with Fire j and 
 we difcover’d amongft them the three Savages we 
 had met two Days before. We presented our Calumet 
 of Peace, which they receiv’d; but gave us to un- 
 derftand by Signs, that we muft go to the Akanfa ; 
 for they repeated fo often that Word, pointing at 
 the Savages a-fhore, that I believe this is the right 
 Name of their Nation. We cou’d not avoid it j and 
 as foon as we were landed, the three Chikacha took 
 our Canou upon their Shoulders, and carry’d it to the 
 Village. The Savages receiv’d us very kindly, and 
 gave us a Cabin for our felves alone ; and prefented 
 us with Beans, Indian Corn, and Flefh to eat. We 
 made them alfo fome Prefents of our European Com¬ 
 modities, which they admir’d : They put their Fin¬ 
 gers upon their Mouth, efp&cially when they faw our 
 Guns; and I think this way of exprefling their Sur¬ 
 prize, is common to all the Savages of the Northern 
 
 Thefe Savages are very different from thofe of the 
 North, who are commonly fad, penfive, and fevere; 
 whereas thefe appear’d jovial, civil, and free. Their 
 Youth are fo modeft, that they dare not fpeak before 
 Old Men, unlefs they are ask’d any Queftion. 1 ob : 
 ferved they have tame Poultry, as Hens, Turkey- 
 Cocks, and Buftards, which are as tame as our Geefe. 
 Their Trees began to fhew their Fruit, as Peaches, 
 and the like $ which muft be a great deal bigger than 
 ours. Our Men lik’d very well the Manner of thefe 
 People ; and if they had found any Furrs and Skins 
 to barter for their Commodities, they would have 
 left me amongft them $ but I told them, that out 
 Difcovery was more important to them than their 
 Trade; and advis’d them to hide their Commodities 
 under-ground, which they might take again upon 
 our return, and exchange them with the Savages 01 
 the North. They approv’d my Advice, and were 
 
 fenfible 
 
124 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 fenfible that they fhould prevent many Dangers • for 
 Men are covetous in all Countries. ’ 
 
 The Eighteenth we embark’d again, after having 
 been entertain’d with Dancing and Feafting; and 
 carry’d away our Commodities, tho’ the Savages 
 were very loth to part with them ; but having ac- 
 cepted our Calumet of Peace, they did not prefume 
 to ftop us by Force. 
 
 CHA P. XXXVIII. 
 
 A Continuation of our Voyage on the River Mefchafipi 
 
 A S we fell down the River, we look’d for a fit 
 } Place to hide .our Commodities, and at lad 
 pitch’d upon one between two Eminences near a 
 Wood. We took up the green Sodds, lay’d them 
 by, and digg d a Hole in the Earth, where we put 
 our Goods, and cover’d them with Pieces of Timber 
 and Earth, and then put on again the green Turf; 
 fo that ’twas impoffible to fufpecft that any Hole had 
 been digg’d under it, for we flung the Earth into 
 tne River. We tore afterwards the Bark of three 
 Oaks and of a large Cotton-tree, and ingrav’d there¬ 
 on four Crofles, that we might not mifs the Place at 
 our Return. We embark’d again with all fpeed, and 
 pair by another Village of Savages about fix Leagues 
 uom Akavfa 9 and then landed at another two Leagues 
 
 lower, where we were kindly entertain’d. Men, 
 
 omen, and Children came to meet us: which 
 nukes me believe that the firft Ahmfa had given no- 
 tice °f our arrival, to all the Villages of their Na- 
 l ? t }', , e ma de them fome Prefents of little Value, 
 whrch they thought very confiderable. Prefents are 
 the Symbols of Peace in all thofe Countries. 
 
 i he Twenty firft thofe Savages carry’d us in a Py- 
 rogue to fee a Nation farther off into the Country, 
 
 which 
 
a Large Country in America. 125 
 
 which they call Taenfa' ; for they repeated often that 
 Word, fo that we could not but remember it. Thofe 
 Savages inhabit the Banks of a Lake form’d by the 
 Mej’chafifi ; but I had not time enough to make any 
 particular Obfervation concerning feveral of the Vil¬ 
 lages which I faw. 
 
 Thefe Savages receiv’d us with much more Cere¬ 
 monies than the Akanfa ; for their Chief came in 
 great Solemnity to the Shore to meet us. He had a 
 kind of a white Gown on, made of Cloth of Bark 
 of Trees, which their Women fpun; and two Men 
 carry’d before him a thin Plate of Copper, as fhining 
 as Gold. We prefented our Calumet of Peace, which 
 he receiv’d with Joy and much Gravity. The Men, 
 Women, and Children, who attended him, exprefs’d 
 a great Refpeft for me, and kifs’d the Sleeves of the 
 Habit of St. Francis ; which made me believe that 
 they had feen lome Spanijh Francifcans from New Mex¬ 
 ico , it being ufual there to kifs the Habit of our Order : 
 But this is a meer Conje&ure ; tho’ I obferv'd they 
 did not pay that Refpeft to the two Men that were 
 with me. 
 
 The Taenfa conduced us into a fine Cabin of flat 
 Rufhes and fhining Reeds, and entertain’d us as well 
 as their Country could afford; and then Men and 
 Women, who are half cover’d in that Country, 
 danc’d together before us. Their way of Dancing is 
 much more difficult than ours, but perhaps as plea- 
 fant, were it not for their Mufick, which is very dif- 
 agreeable. Women repeat every Word the Men have 
 
 That Country is full of Palm-trees, wild Laurels, 
 Plum-trees, Mulbery-trees, Peach-trees, Apple-trees, 
 and Walnut-trees of five or fix kinds, whofe Nuts are 
 a g"eat deal bigger than ours. They have alfo feve¬ 
 ral forts of Fruit-trees unknown in Europe, but I 
 could not difeern the Fruit, becaufe of the Seafon of 
 the Year. 
 
 The 
 
11 6 A “Hew DifcoVery of 
 
 The Manners and Temper of that Nation is very 
 different from that of the Irocjuefe, Hworn, and Illinois. 
 Thefe are Civil, Eafie, Tradable, and capable of 
 Inftrudions; whereas the others are meer Brutes, as 
 fierce and cruel as any wild Beafts. We lay that 
 Night in their Village, and were entertain’d as civilly 
 as we could have wifh’d for; and we did likewife our 
 utmoft to oblige them: We fhew’d them the Effed of 
 our Fire-Arms, and a Piftol which fhot four Bullets 
 one after another, without needing to be new charg’d. 
 Our Men took their beft Cloth, which pleas’d them 
 very much; and they feera’d well fatisfy’d with us, 
 as they exprefs’d by many Signs and Demonftrations. 
 They fent over-night to the Koroa , who are their Al¬ 
 lies, to give them notice of our Arrival ; and their 
 Chief came next Morning in great Ceremony to fee 
 us. They feem’d tranfported with Joy, and ’tis great 
 pity we could not underftand what they told us, to 
 know what Opinion they entertain’d of us, and 
 from what Part of the World they fanfied we came. 
 
 I order’d my Men to fquare a Tree, and having 
 made a Crofs, we planted it near the Cabin where 
 we lay. 
 
 The Twenty fecond we left that obliging People, 
 and the Chief of the Koroa attended us to Iris Vil¬ 
 lage, which is fituated about ten Leagues lower, upon 
 the River, in a fertile Soil, which produces abun¬ 
 dance of Indian Corn, and other things neceflary 
 for Life. We prefented them with three Axes, fix 
 Knives, feven Yards of good Tobacco, feveral Awls 
 and Needles. Thejyeceiv’d our Prefents with great 
 Shouts, and their Chief prefented us with a Calumet 
 of Peace of red Marble , the Quill whereof was 
 adorn'd with Feathers of five or fix forts of Birds. 
 
 They gave us alfo a Noble Treat according to their 
 own way, which I lik’d very well; and after we had 
 din’d, the Chief of that Nation underftanding by our 
 Signs which way we were bound, took a Stick, and 
 ' made 
 
a Large Country in America. 117 
 
 made fuch Demonftrations, that wc underftood that 
 we had not above (even Days Journey to the Sea, 
 which he reprefented as a great Lake with large 
 wooden Canou’s. The next Day we prepar’d to 
 continue our Voyage; but they made fuch Signs to 
 oblige us to ftay a Day or two longer, that I was 
 almoft perfwaded to do it j but feeing the Weather 
 fo favourable for our Journey, we embark’d again. 
 The Chief of that Nation, feeing we were refolv’d 
 to be gone, fent feveral Men in two Plagues, to at¬ 
 tend 11s to the Mouth of the River with Provilions ; 
 but when I law that the three Cbikacha, of whom I 
 have fpoken, follow’d us every where, I bid my Men 
 to have card of them, and obfcrve their Motions 
 upon our landing, for fear of any Surprize. It was 
 then Eafitr-d^y, which we kept with great Devotion, 
 tho’ we could not fay Mafs for want of Wine ; but 
 we fpent all the Day in Prayers in fight of the Sava¬ 
 ges, who wonder’d much at it. 
 
 The Mefchafipi divides it felf into two Channels, 
 and thereby forms a large Ifland, which to our think¬ 
 ing was very long, and might be about fixty Leagues 
 broad. The Koroa oblig’d us to follow the Canal to 
 the Weft ward, tho’ the Cbikacha, who were in their 
 Tyrogues , endeavour’d to perfwade me to take the 
 other: But as we had fome fufpicion of them, we 
 refus’d to follow their Advice ; tho’ I was afterwards 
 convinc d, that they defign’d only to have the Ho¬ 
 nour to bring us to feveral Nations on the other Side 
 of the River, whom we*vifited in our return. 
 
 We loft quickly the Company of our Savages $ for 
 the Stream being very rapid in this Place, they could 
 not follow us in their Pyrognes, which are very heavy. 
 We made that Day near forty Leagues, and landed 
 in the Evening upon the IHand, where we pitch’d our 
 Cabin. 
 
 The Twenty fourth we continu’d our Voyage; 
 and about five and thirty Leagues below the Place 
 
 we 
 
118 A New Difco^ery of 
 
 we had lain, we difcover’d two Filhermen, who im¬ 
 mediately ran away. We heard fome time after a 
 great Cry, and theNoife of a Drum j but as we fufpe- 
 ded the Chikacha, we kept in die middle of the Ri¬ 
 ver, rowing as fall as we could. This was the Na¬ 
 tion of Quinipiff’a, as we underftood fince. We land¬ 
 ed thar Night in a Village belonging to the Nation 
 of Tangibac, as we have been inform’d; but the In¬ 
 habitants had been furpriz’d by their Enemies, for 
 we found ten of them murther’d in their Cabins; 
 which oblig’d us to embark again, and crofs the Ri¬ 
 ver, where we landed, and having made a Fire, 
 roafted our Indian Corn. 
 
 The Twenty fifth we left the Place early in the 
 Morning; and after having row’d thebeft part of the 
 Day, came to a Point where the Mefchafipi divides it 
 felf into three Chanels: We took the middle one, 
 which is very broad and deep. The Water began 
 there to tafte brackifh, but four Leagues lower it was 
 as fait as the Sea. We rowed about four Leagues far¬ 
 ther, and difcover’d the Sea, which oblig’d us to go 
 a-lhore to the Eaftward of the River. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX. m ' 
 
 Reafons which oblig'd us to return towards the Source c] 
 the River Mefchafipi, without going any farther to¬ 
 ward the Sea. 
 
 \ 
 
 M Y two Men were very much afraid of the Spa¬ 
 niards of New Mexico , who inhabit to the 
 Weft ward of this River; and they were perpetually 
 telling me, that if they were taken, the Spaniards 
 would ^ never fpare their Lives, or at leaft give them 
 the Liberty to return into Europe. I knew their Fears 
 were not altogether unreafonable; and therefore I • 
 refolv’d to go no farther, tho’ I had no reafon to be 
 
 afraid 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 ly 
 
 afraid for my felf, our Order being fo numerous in 
 New Mexico, that, on the contrary, I might expert 
 to have had in that Country a peaceable and eafic 
 Life. 
 
 I don't pretend to be a Mathematician, but having 
 learn’d to take the Elevation of the Pole, and make 
 ufe of the Aftrolabe, I might have made fome exad 
 Obfervations, had M. la Salle trufted me with that 
 Inftrumcnt : However, I obferv’d that the Mefitbafipi 
 falls into the Gulph of Mexico, between the 27th and 
 28th Degrees of Latitude, where, as l believe, our 
 Maps mark a River call'd Rio Efcondido, the Hidden 
 River. The Magdalen River runs between this River 
 and the Mines of St. Barbs that are in New Mexico. 
 
 The Mouth of the Mefcbafipi may be about thirty 
 Leagues from Rio Bravo, fixey from Valmas, and eighty 
 or a hundred from Rio Pannco, the neareft Habitation 
 of the Spaniards ; and according to thefe Obfervati¬ 
 ons, the Bay di Spirito Sattclo lies to the North-Eaft of 
 the Mefcbafipi, which from the Mouth of the River 
 of the Illinois to the Sea, runs di redly to the South, 
 or South-Weft, except in its Windings and Turnings, 
 which are lo great, that by our Computation there 
 are about 340 Leagues from the River of the Illinois 
 to the Sea, whereas there are not above 1 jo in a di- 
 red Line. The Mefcbafipi is very deep, without be¬ 
 ing interrupted by any Sands, lo that the biggeft 
 Ships may come into it. Its Courfe from its Source 
 to the Sea, may be 800 Leagues, including Windings 
 and Turnings, as I Hull obferve anon, having tra- 
 vell’d from its Mouth to its Head. 
 
 My Men were very glad of this Difcovery, and to 
 have efcap'd fo many Dangers 5 but, on the other 
 hand, they exprefs d a great deal of diftatisfadion to 
 have been at fuch trouble, without making any Pro¬ 
 fit, having found no Furrs to exchange for their 
 Commodities. They were fo impatient to return, 
 that they would never lufter me to build a Cabin up- 
 
 K on 
 
13 o A New Vifcovery of 
 
 on the Shoar, and continue there for Come days, the 
 better to obferve where we were. They fquar’d a 
 Tree of twelve foot high, and made a Crofs thereof, 
 which we eredted in that Place, leaving there a Let¬ 
 ter fignd by me and my two Men, containing an 
 Account of our Voyage, of our Country, andPro- 
 feffion. We kneel d then near the Crofs, and having 
 fung the Vex ill a Regis, and lonie other Hymns, em¬ 
 bark’d again on the firrt of April to return towards 
 the Source of the River. 
 
 We faw no body while we continu'd there, and 
 therefore cannot tell whether any Natives inhabit 
 that Coaft. We lay, during the time we remain’d 
 a-lb.oar, under our Canou’s, fupported with lour 
 Forks; and the better to protect us againft the Rain, 
 we had fome Rolls of Bitch-Bark, wherewith we 
 made a kind of Curtains about our Canou, hanging 
 from the top down to the ground. Tis obfervable, 
 that during the whole Courfe of our Sailing, God 
 protected us againft the Crocodiles, which are very 
 numerous in that River, and efpecially towards the 
 Mouth: They look'd dreadful, and would have at¬ 
 tack’d us, had we not been very careful, to avoid 
 them. We were very good Husbands of our Indian 
 Corn; for the Banks of the River being full of 
 Reeds, it was almoft impoffible to land to endeavour 
 to kill fome Beafts for our Subfiftence. , 
 
 Our Canon being loaded only with three Men and 
 our Provifions, did not draw three Inches Water, 
 and therefore we could row very near the Shoar, 
 and avoid the Current of the River ; and befides, my 
 Men had fuch a defire to return to the North, that 
 that very day we came to Tangibae ; but becaufe the 
 Savages we had found murther’d in their Cabins, 
 made us believe, that that Place was not fife, we 
 continu’d our Voyage all the Night long, after ha¬ 
 ving flipp’d, lighting a great Match to fright the 
 Crocodiles away, ior they fear nothing fo much as 
 Fire. The 
 
a Large Country in America. 151 
 
 The next day, April 2. we faw towards break of 
 Day a great Smoak not far from us, and a little while 
 after we difcover’d four Savage Women loaded with 
 Wood, and marching as faft as they could to get to 
 their Village before us ; but we prov d too nimble for 
 them at firft. However, fome Bullards coming near 
 us, one of my Men could not forbear to /hoot.at 
 them ; which fo much frighted thefe Women, that 
 they left their Load of Wood, and run away to their 
 Village, where they arriv’d before us. The Savages 
 l having heard the Noife, were in as great fear°as 
 I their Wives, and left the Village upon our approach ; 
 but I landed immediately, and advanc’d alone with 
 the Calumet of Peace; whereupon they return’d, 
 and receiv’d us with all the Refped and Civility ima¬ 
 ginable. They brought us into a great Cabin, and 
 gave us fevcral things to eat, fending notice in the 
 mean time to their Allies, that we were arriv’d there ; 
 fo that a great number of People crowded about to fee 
 us. Ihey admit d our Guns, and lifting up their 
 Hands to Heaven, made us conceive they compar'd 
 them to Thunder and Lightning; but feeing us ihoot 
 Birds at a great diftanee, they were fo amaz’d that 
 they could not fpeak a word. Our Men were fo 
 kindly entertain’d, that had it not been for the Com¬ 
 modities they had hid under-ground, they would 
 have remain’d among!! that Nation ; and truly it 
 was chiefly to prevent any fuch thing, that I order d 
 them to do it ; judging from the Civility of thofe 
 Savages, that they were like to be tempted to re¬ 
 main with them. This Nation call’d them/elves 
 
 Qiiinifijja. 
 
 We made them feme fmall Prefents, to /hew our 
 Gratitude for their kind Entertainment, and left that 
 Place, April 4. and row’d with fuen diligence, that 
 we arriv d the fame day at Koroa. That Nation was 
 not frighted as ac the firft time, but receiv’d us with 
 all imaginable Demonftrations of Joy, carrying our 
 
 K 2 Canou 
 
13 2 A Mew Difcovery of 
 
 Canori upon their Shoulders in a triumphant manner, 
 and twelve Men dancing before us with fine Feathers 
 in their hands. The Women follow d us with their 
 Children, who held me by my Gown and Girdle, 
 expreffing much the fame Kindnefs to my two Men. 
 They conduced me in that manner to the Cabin 
 they had prepar'd for us, made of fine Mats of paint¬ 
 ed Rufhes, and adorn’d with white Coverings made 
 of the Bar k of Trees, fpun as finely as our Linen- 
 Cloth ; and after we had refrelh’d our felves, with 
 the Victuals they had prepar d for us, they left us alone, 
 to give us time to reft our felves, which we did all 
 the Night long. The next Morning I was furpriz'd 
 to fee their bulu.ti Corn, which we left very green, 
 grown already to Maturity j but I have learn d lince, 
 that that Corn is ripe fixe}' days after it is fown. I 
 obferv’d there a'fo another Los t of Corn; hut for 
 want of under Banding tin. ir Language, 1 was not 
 able to know its Ufe and Name. 
 
 C H A P. XL. 
 
 An Accctipt of our Departure from Koroa, to continue cur 
 Voyage. 
 
 I Left Koroa the next day, April y. with a defign to 
 vilit leveral Nations inhabiting the Coaft of the 
 Mtfcbdftpl , but nay Men would never confent di< re- 
 unto, • tailing me that they had no Bufinefs 
 and they were obligd to make all the hade they could 
 towards the North, to exchange their Commodities 
 for Furrs. I told them , that tiic Publick Good was 
 to be preferr’d to Private Intered; but 1 could noc 
 perfvvade them to any fiich thing ; and they told me 
 that ever'y one-ought to be free; that they were retolv d, 
 to go towards the Source of the River, but that 1 
 might remain amongd tbofe Nations, if I thought 
 fit. In fhort, I found my felf oblig’d to fubmit to 
 
a Large Country in Amsrici, 15 3 
 
 their Will, though they' had receiv’d Orders to obey 
 my Dire&ion. We arriv'd die 7th in the Habitati¬ 
 on of the 'Tacnja s,' who had already been inform’d 
 of our return from the Sea, arid were prepai’d to re¬ 
 ceive us; having for that end lent for their Allies in¬ 
 habiting die in-land Country to the Weft-ward of 
 the River. They us’d all po|Iihle endeavours to oblige 
 us to remain with them, and offer'd us,a great many 
 things; but our Men would not fray one Jingle day ; 
 though 1 confefs the Civility of that People/ and the 
 good Difpolition I obforv’d in them, vvou’d have 
 Hopp’d me amongft diem, had I been provided with 
 tilings neceflary lor the PYinciion of my Minifiry. 
 
 We parted the 8th, and the Taenfas follow’d us le- 
 veral Leagues in their lighteft Fjwgues, b-.* were at 
 laft oblig'd to quit us, being not able to keep pace 
 with our Canou. One of our Men fhot three Wid- 
 Ducks at once, which they adtnir'd above all things, 
 it being impomble to do to with their Arrows. We 
 gave them fome Tobacco, and parted from them, 
 our Men rowing with all. their Strength, to let them 
 fee we had kept company with tlibm out of meet 
 Civility. 
 
 The 9th, we came to the Place where our Men had 
 hidden their Commodities ; but when my Men law 
 that the Savages had burnt the Trees which we had 
 mark'd, they were lb afraid, that they were near 
 founding away, and did not doubt but their Goods 
 were loft. We went a-lhoar; and while I was 
 mending our Canou, they went to look for their 
 Treafure, which they found in good condition. They 
 were fo trarifported with Joy, that Picard came im¬ 
 mediately to tell me that all was well. In the mean 
 time, the Akunfas having receiv’d advice of our Re¬ 
 turn, came down in great numbers along the River 
 to meet us; and left they Jhould fee our Men taking 
 again their Goods from under the Ground, I advan¬ 
 ced to meet them with the Calumet of Peace, and 
 
 K 2_ : _ Root 
 
134 A New Difcovery of 
 
 ftopt them to fmoak , it being a {acred Law among!} 
 them to fmoak in fuch a Jundure j and whofoever 
 would tefufe, muft run the “danger of being mur- 
 ther’d by the Savages, who have an extraordinary 
 Veneration for the Calumet,. 
 
 Whilft I ftopt them, my Men put their Com¬ 
 modities into their Canou, and came to take me 
 into it. The Savages faw nothing of it, of which 
 I was very glad; for though they were our own, 
 perhaps they might claim part of them upon fome 
 Pretence or other. I made feveral figns upon the 
 Sand, to make them apprehend what I thought; 
 but with what Succefs I don't know, for I could $iot 
 underhand a word of what they faid, their lan¬ 
 guage having no affinity with thcfe of their Neigh¬ 
 bours I have convers’d withal, both fince and after 
 my Voyage to the Mouth of the Mefchafyi. 
 
 I got into the Canou, and went by Water to the 
 Village of the Akanfas , while they went by Land; 
 but our Men row’d fo faff, that they could hardly 
 keep pace with us. One of them, who was a good 
 Runner, arriv’d at the Village bciore us, and came 
 to the Shoar with the Women and Children to re¬ 
 ceive us, which they did even with more Civility than 
 they had exprels’d the firft time. Our Men iufpeded 
 that this was only to get our Commodities, which 
 they admir’d ; but they are certainly a good fort of 
 People; and inftead of defefving the Name of a 
 Barbarous Nation, as the Europeans call all the Na¬ 
 tives of America, I think they have more Humanity 
 than many Natives cf Europe, who pretend to be 
 very civil and affable to Strangers. 
 
 It would be needlefs to give here an exad Account 
 of the Feafts -and Dances that were made for our 
 Entertainment-, prof the,Melancholy they exprefsd 
 upon our Departure. I muft own, that I had much 
 a-do to leave them, but my two Men would notgi' e 
 me leave to tarry a day, feeing thefe Nations, having 
 
a Large Country in America. 135 
 
 had no Commerce with the Europeans, did not know 
 the Value of Beavers Skins, or other Furrs, whereas 
 they thought that the Savages inhabiting about the 
 Source of the Mejchafipi , might have been inform’d 
 thereof by the Inhabitants of the Banks of the upper 
 or Great Lake, which we found to be true, as we 
 fhall oblerve anon. We left the Ahmads upon the 
 24th of April , having prefented them with feveral 
 little Toys, which they receiv’d with an extraordi¬ 
 nary Joy ; and during lix'ty Leagues; law no Savage 
 neither of the Nation of Clnkacha, or Meffcrue, 
 which made us believe they were gone a hunting with 
 their Families, or elfe fled away, for fear of the Sa¬ 
 vages of Tintonha , that is to fay, fuch as inhabit the 
 Meadows, who .are their irreconcileable Enemies. 
 
 This made our Voyage the more carte, for our 
 Men landed feveral rimes to kill feme Fowl and 
 other Game, with which the Banks of the Mefchafipi 
 are plentifully flock’d ; however, before we came to 
 the Mouth of the River of the Illinois, we difeover’d 
 feveral of the Me forties, who came down all along 
 the River j but as they had no Vyngues with them, 
 we crofs’d to the other fide ; and to avoid any Sur¬ 
 prize during the Night, we made no fire ; arid there¬ 
 by the Savages could not difeoyer whereabout we 
 were; for doubtlefs they would have murtherd us, 
 thinking we were their Enemies. 
 
 I had quite forgot to relate, that the Illinois had 
 told us, that towards the Cape, which I have call'd 
 in my Map St. Anthony near the Nation of the Mef- 
 forties, there were fome Tritons, and other Sea-Mon¬ 
 gers painted, which the boldeft Men durft not look 
 upon, there being fome Enchantment in their Faces. 
 I thought this was a Story ; but when we came near 
 the Place they had mention’d, vve faw inftead of thele 
 Mongers, a.Horfe and fome other Beafts painted up¬ 
 on the Rock with red Colours by the Savages. The 
 Illinois had told us likewife, that the Rock on which 
 
 K. 4 thefe 
 
t } 6 A New VifcoVcry of 
 
 thefe dreadful Monliers Rood, was fo fteep that 
 no Man could climb up to it ; but had we not 
 been afraid of the Savages more than of the Monitors, 
 we had certainly got up to them. There is a com¬ 
 mon Tradition arnongli that People, That a great 
 number of Miami's were drown d in that Place,'be¬ 
 ing pui fu d by the Savages of Matfigamta ; and fmce 
 that time, the Savages going by the Kock, ufe to 
 ifnoak, and ofier Tobacco to thole Bealis, to appeafe, 
 as they fay, the NLmituu, that is, in the Language 6f 
 the SilgiMjtuns and Arcadians, an evil Spirit, which 
 the Irccjueft cal] Qikon ; but the Name is the only thing 
 they know of him. 
 
 While 1 was at Quiktc, I underload that M. Jd- 
 lict had been upon the MeJ'chaJipi, and ob.ig’d to re¬ 
 turn without going down that River, becaufeofthe 
 Mongers I have fpoken of, who had frighted him, as 
 aifo becaufe he was afraid to be taken by the Spani¬ 
 ards ; and having an Opportunity to know theTruth 
 of that Story ficm M. JcUkt himfeif, with whom 
 I had often travell’d upon the River Sr. Lamrce, 1 
 ask’d him Whether he had been as far as the jikdnjds ? 
 That Gentleman anfwer’d me, That the OuttaiMti 
 had often fpoke to him of thofc Mongers ; but drat Ire 
 hed never gone far ther titan the Huron; and Guts,until, 
 with whom we had remain’d to exchange our Ernpeai 
 Commodities with their I urrs. He added, that the 
 Savages had told hint, that it was not fafe to go down 
 the River, becaufe of the Spaniards. But notwith- 
 fianding this Report, I have found no-where upon 
 that River any Mar k, as Crofles, and the like, that 
 could perfua.de ntc chat the Spaniards had been there; 
 and the Savages inhabiting the Mefchafipi would not 
 have exprefs’d fuel) Admiration as they did when they 
 <Jaw us, if they had feen any Europeans before. I ll 
 gamine, tliis Qpellion mdic at large in my Second 
 Volume. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 3 7 
 
 CHAP. XLI. 
 
 J particular Account of the River Mefchafipi ; Of the 
 Cour.tr j thro’ which it flaws ; and of the Mines of Copper, 
 Lead, and Coals we dfcover d in our Vojage. 
 
 F Rom thirty Leagues below Maroa , down to the 
 Sea, the Banks of the Mefchafpi are full of Reeds 
 or Canes $ but we obferv’d about forty places, where 
 one may land with great facility. The River 
 oversows its Banks now and then ; but the In¬ 
 undation is not very conliderable, becaufe of the lit¬ 
 tle Hills which ftop its Waters. The Country beyond 
 .thofe Hills is the rineft that ever I faw, it being a 
 Plain, whefe Bounds I don’t know, adorn’d now 
 and then with lome Hills and Eminences cover'd with 
 fine Trees, making the rare!! Profpeft in the World. 
 The Banks of the fmall Rivers flowing through the 
 Plain, are planted withTrees, which look as if they 
 had been difpofed into that curious Order by the Art 
 of Men ; and they are plentifully (lock’d with Fife, 
 as well as the Mtjcb.fpi. The Crocodiles are very 
 dangeious upon this great River, as I have already 
 obferv’d ; and they devour a Man if they can fur- 
 prize him; but ’tis eafve to avoid them, for they don’t 
 lwim afeer Men, nor follow them a-fhoar. 
 
 The Country affords all forts of Game, as Tur¬ 
 key-Cocks, Partridges, Quails-, Parrots, Wood-Cocks, 
 Turtle-Doves,, and Wood-Pidgeons; and abundance 
 of wild Bulls, wild Goats, Stags, Beavers, Otters, 
 Martins, and wild Cats : But as we approach’d nearer 
 the Sea, we faw no Beavers. I defign to give a par¬ 
 ticular Account of thefe Creatures in another place; 
 in the mean time we (hall take notice of two others, 
 who are unknown in Europe. 
 
 I have 
 
138 A New TnfcoVery of 
 
 I have already mention’d a little Animal, like a 
 Musk’d-Rat, that M. la Salle kill’d as we came from 
 Fort Miam'u to the Illinois , which deferves a particu¬ 
 lar jbefcription. It looks like a Rat as to the Shape 
 of its Body, but it is as big as a Cat: His Skin looks 
 Silver-like, with fomc fair black Hair, which makes 
 the Colour the more admirable. His Tail is without 
 any Hair, as big as a Man’s Finger, and about a 
 Foot long, wherewith he hangs himfelf to the Boughs 
 of Trees. That Creature has under the Belly a kind 
 of a Bag, wherein they put their young ones when 
 they are purfu’d ; which is one of the moft wonder¬ 
 ful things of the World, and a clear Demonftration 
 of the Providence and Goodnefs of the Almighty, 
 who takes fo particular a Care of the meaneft of his 
 Creatures. 
 
 There is no fierce Beaft in all that Country drat 
 dares attack Men ; for the Mcchibkhi, the moft terri¬ 
 ble of all, and who devours all other Bealls vvhatfo- 
 ever, runs away upon the . approach of a Savage, 
 The Head of that Creature is very like that of the 
 ipotted Lynx, but fomewhat bigger : his Body is 
 long, and as large as a wild Goat, but his Legs are 
 Jhorter; his Paws are like a Cat’s-Foot; but the 
 Claws are fo long and fixong, that no other Beaft 
 can rcfifi: them. When they have kill’d any Beaft, 
 they eat part of it, and carry the relt upon their 
 Back, to hide it in the Woods; and, I have been told 
 that no other Beaft dare meddle with it. Their Skin 
 is much like that of a Lion, as well as their Tail; 
 but their Head is much bigger. 
 
 The Savages gave us to underhand that to the Weft- 
 ward of their Habitation, there are fome Beafts who 
 carry Men upon their Backs, and fhew’d us the Hoof 
 and part of the Leg of one, which was certainly 
 the Hoof of a Horfe 5 and furely Horfes muft 
 not be utterly unknown in the Northern Ameri- 
 > a : for then how cou’d the Savages have drawn 
 
a Large Country in America, i } 9 
 
 upon the Rock I have mention’d, the Figure of that 
 Animal ? 
 
 They have in that Country all forts of Trees we 
 ■have jn Europe, and a great many other unknown to 
 us. There are the fineft Cedars in the World ; and 
 another fort of Tree, from which drops a moll fra¬ 
 grant Gum, which in my opinion exceeds our bell 
 Terfumes. The Cotton -1 rfees are of a prodigious 
 height $ the Savages make them hollow with Fire, to 
 make their Tjrogues of them ; and vve have feen feme 
 of them all of a-piece, above an hundred Foot long. 
 The Oak is fo good, that I believe exceeds ours 
 
 for building Ships. I have obferv’d that Hemp grows 
 naturally in that Country, and that they make Tarr 
 and Pitch toward the Sea-Coalts; and as t don’t que- 
 llion but that there are fome Iron-Mines', the 
 Building of Men of War woud be very cheitp in the 
 River Mefchafipi. 
 
 I took notice in my Defcription of iMfifian*, that 
 there are vaft Meadows, which need not to begrubb’d 
 up, but are ready for the Plow and Seed ; and cer¬ 
 tainly the Soil mult be very fruitful, lincc Beans grow 
 naturally, without any Culture. Their Stalks lublilt 
 feveral Years, bearing Fruit in the proper Seatons: 
 They are as big as one’s Arm, .and climb up the high- 
 eft Trees, juft as Ivy does. The Peach-Trees are 
 like ours, and to fruitful, that they woud bieak i- 
 they were not fupported. Their Forefts are full 01 
 Mulberry-Trees and Plum-Trees, whofe Fruit is be- 
 musk’d/ They have alfo plenty of Pomegranate- 
 Trees and Cheftnut-Trees: And ’tis obfervabie, that 
 all thefe Trees are cover’d with Vines, whofe Grapes 
 
 are very big and fweet. ^ 
 
 They have three or four Crops or Indian Corn m 
 one Year; for they have no other Winter than fome 
 Rains. We had not time enough to Took for Mines; 
 but we found in feveral Places lome. Pic-Coal ; and 
 the Savages fhew’d us great Mines of Lead and Cop¬ 
 per. 
 
140 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 per. They have alfo Quarries of Freeftone ; and 
 of black, white, and Jafper-like Marble, of which 
 they make their Calumets. , 
 
 Thefe Savages are good-natur’d Men, affable, ci¬ 
 vil, and obliging ; but I defign to make a particular 
 Tract concerning their Manners, in my SecondVo-, 
 ham. It feems they have no Sentiments of Religi¬ 
 on ; though one rfiay judge from their Actions that 
 they have a kind of Veneration for the Sun, which 
 they acknowledge, as it feems, for the Maker and 
 Picfervcr of all things. 
 
 When the Nadouejjutns and IJJdti takeTob.'veco, they 
 look upon the Sun, which they call in their Language 
 Louts ; and as foon as they have lighted their Pipe, 
 they prefent it to the Sun with theie Words, Tcbe* 
 diouba Louis, that i? to fay, Stnoak Sun ; which I took 
 for a kind of Adoration. I was glad when I heard 
 that this only Deity was call'd Louis, becaufe it was 
 alfo my Name. They call the Moon Louis Bajatfcht, 
 that is to fay. Tbs Sun of the Nigbt $ fo that the Moon 
 and Sun have the fame Name, excepc that the Moon 
 is diffingulh’d by the Word Bafatfche. 
 
 They offer alfo to the Sun the beft Part of the 
 Beall they kill, which they carry to the Cabin of 
 their Chief, who makes his Profit thereof, and mum¬ 
 bles fome Words as it raifes. They offer alio the firft 
 Smoak of their Calumets, and then blow the Smoak 
 towards the four Corners of the World. This is all 
 I have obferv’d concerning their Religion ; which 
 makes me believe that they have a religious Venera¬ 
 tion for the Sun. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
(i Large Country in America. 141 
 
 C H A P. XLII. 
 
 An Account of the various Languages of the Hattons inha¬ 
 biting the Ranks of the Mefuialipi ; of their Submiff on 
 tO their Chief ; of the Difference of tbeir Manners from 
 the Savages of Canada ; end of the Difficulties, or 
 rather Impoffibilities attending their Convtrfion. 
 
 5 T' IS very ft range that every Nation of the Savages 
 JL of the Northern America ihould have a peculiar 
 i Language ; for though fome of them live not ten 
 Leagues one from another,they mud ufe an Interpreter 
 to talk together, there being no univerfal Language a- 
 mongft them ; as one may call the Lingua Franca , 
 which is underftood upon all the Coaft ot the Medi¬ 
 terranean-Sea ; or the Latin Tongue, common to all 
 the Learned Men of. Europe. However, thole who 
 live fo near one another, underftand fomc Words 
 us’d acnongft their Neighbours, but not well enough to 
 treat together without an Interpreter; and therefore 
 they us’d to fend one of their Men to each of their Al¬ 
 lies, to learn their Language, and remain with them 
 ! as their Resident, and take Care of their Concerns. 
 Thefe Savages differ from thofe of Canada both in 
 their Manners, Cuftoms, Temper, Inclinations, 
 and even in the Shape of their Heads; thofe of 
 the Mefcbaftpi having their Heads very flat. They 
 have large Places in their Villages, where they meet 
 together* upon any publick Rejoycings; and where 
 they have publick Games at certain Seafons of the 
 Year. They are lively and a dive, having nothing 
 of that Morofity and Penfivenefs of the Iroqueft and 
 others. Their Chiefs have a moreabfolute Autho¬ 
 rity than thofe of the other Savages, which Power 
 is very narrow ; and thofe who live the neareft to the 
 Mouth of the River, have fuch a Deference for their 
 
 Chief, 
 
142 A “Hew DifctiVery of 
 
 Chief, that they dare not pafs between him and a 
 Flambeau, which is always carry’d before him in all 
 Ceremonies. Thefe Chiefs have Servants and Of- 
 ficers to wait upon them : They diftribute Rewards 
 and Prefents as they think fit. In Ihort, they have 
 amongft them a Form of Political Government; 
 and I muft own they make a tolerable ufe of their 
 
 Reafon. _ ns&l 
 
 They were altogether ignorant of Fire-Arms, and 
 all other Inihuments and Tools of Iron and Steel, 
 their Knives and Axes being made of Flint, and other 
 fharp Stones: And whereas.we were told that the 
 Spaniards of New Mexico liv’d not above forty 
 Leagues from them, and fupply'd them with all the 
 Tools, and other Commodities of Europe ; we found 
 nothing among them that might be fufpe&ed to come 
 from the Europeans , unlefs it be fbme little pieces of 
 Glafs ftrung upon a Thread, with which their Wo¬ 
 men ufe to adorn their Heads. They wear Brace¬ 
 lets and Ear-Rings of fine Pearls, which they fpoil, 
 having nothing to boar them with, but with Fire. 
 They made uS- to underftand that they have them in 
 exchange for their Calumets , from fome Nations inha¬ 
 biting the Coaft of the great Lake to the South-ward, 
 which I take to be the Gulpb of Florida. 
 
 I’ll fay nothing here, or at leaft very little, con¬ 
 cerning their Converfion, referving to difcourfe fully 
 upon that Subject, in another Volume, wherein I pro- 
 mife my felf to undeceive many People about the 
 falfe Opinions they entertain on this Matter. ' When¬ 
 ever the Apoftles appear’d, they converted fo great a 
 number of People, that the Gofpel was known and 
 believ'd in a fhort time, thro’ moft part of the then + 
 known World. But our Modern Millions are not 
 attended with that Grace and Power, and therefore 
 we are not to expedt thofe miraculous Gonverfions. I 
 have imparted to them, as well as I cou’d, the chief 
 and general Truths of the Chrifiian Religion: But, as 
 
 I have 
 
a Large Country in America. 145 
 
 I have obferv’d already, the Languages of thofe Na¬ 
 tions having little or no Affinity one with another, 
 I cannot fay that my Endeavours have been very fuc- 
 cefsful, tho’ I team’d the Language of the Iff at i 
 or Nadoufians, and undcrftood indifferently well 
 that of the Illinois : But the Truths of Chriftianity 
 are fo fublime, that I fear, neither my Words nor 
 Signs and A&ions have been able to give them an 
 Idea of what I preach’d unto them. GOD alone, 
 who knows the Hearts of Men, knows allb what 
 Succefs my Endeavours have had. The Baptifm I 
 have adminifter’d to feveral Children, of whofe 
 Death I was morally affur’d, is the only certain 
 Fruit of my Million. But after all, I have only dis¬ 
 cover’d the Way for other Miffionaries, and ffiall be 
 ready at all times to return thither, thinking my felf 
 very happy if I can fpend the reft of my Days in en¬ 
 deavouring my own and other Alens Salvation , and 
 efpecially in favour of thofe poor Nations, who have 
 been hitherto ignorant of their Creator and Redeem¬ 
 er. But left I Ihou’d tire the Reader, I realfume the 
 Thread of my Difcourfe. 
 
 ___*--- - - 
 
 CHAP, XLIII. 
 
 An Account of the Fifhery of the Sturgeons ; and of the 
 Cottrfe we took , for fear of meeting jome of our Men 
 from Fort Crevecaeur. 
 
 W E embarqu’d the Twenty fourth of April, as 
 I have already faid ; and our Provifions being 
 fpent fome Days after, we had nothing to live upon, 
 but the Game we kill’d, or the Fifti we cou d catch. 
 Stags, wild Goats, and even wild Bulls are pretty 
 fcarce toward the Mouth of the River of the Illinois ; 
 for this Nation comes as far as the Mefchafipi to hunt 
 them $ but by good chance we found a great quan- 
 
144 A 2 &u> DiJcoVcry of 
 
 ricy of Sturgeons, with long Bills, as we call d them, 
 from the fhape of their Head. It was then the Sea- 
 fon that thefe Fifhes fpawn ; and they come as near 
 the Shore as they can; fo that we kill’d as many as 
 we wou’d with our Axes and Swords, without fpend- 
 ing our Powder and Shot. They were fo numerous, 
 that we took nothing but the Belly, and other dainty 
 Parts, throwing off the reft. 
 
 As we came near the Mouth of the River of the 
 Illinois, my Men begun to be very afraid to meet 
 with their Comrades of Fort Crevecceur ; for having 
 not yet exchang’d their Commodities, as they 
 were order’d, and refus’d to go Northward at firli, 
 as I defir’d them, they had great reafon to fear that 
 they wou d flop them, and punifh them for not ha¬ 
 ving follow’d my Di tedious. I was likewife afraid 
 that bv thefe Means bur Voyage towards the Sea 
 wou’d be difeover’d, (there being fome P.eafons to 
 keep it fecret, as I (hall obferve in another place) and 
 our farther Difcovery ftoptj and therefore to pre¬ 
 vent any fuch thing, I advis’d them to row all the 
 Night, and to reft our felves during the Day in the 
 Iflands, which are fo numerous in that River. The 
 Trees and Vines wherewith thofe Iflands are cover'd, 
 are fo thick, that one can hardly land ; and fo we 
 might lie there very fife, it being impoflible to difeo- 
 ver us. This Advice was approv’d, and thereby we 
 avoided any Rencounter ; for I did not doubt but 
 our Men came now and then from Fort Crevecvur, 
 to obfervq the Mefchafipi, and get Intelligence of us. 
 But when we found our felves pretty far from the 
 River of the illinois, we travell’d in the Day-time, as 
 we ufea to do, in order to make our Obfervatiom, 
 and view the Country, j which does not appear w 
 fertil, nor cover’d with to fine Trees above the Rivet 
 of the Illinois , as it is below, down the Mefihaftpi to 
 the Sea. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
a Large Country in America. 
 
 CHAP. XLIV. 
 
 A Jhort Account of the Rivers that fall into the Mefcha- 
 iipi; of the Lake of Tears : of the Fall of St. Antho¬ 
 ny ; of the wild Oats of that Country | and feveral 
 otbejr Circumfiances of our Voyage. 
 
 N O Rivers, as I have already faid, run into the 
 Mefchafpi between the River of the Illinois and 
 the Fall of St. Anthony, from the Weft ward, but the 
 River Ottenta, and another which difcharges it felf 
 into it within eight Leagues of the laid Fall: But on 
 the Eaftvvard we met with a pretty large River, call’d 
 Ouifconfn, or Mifconfin, which comes from the North¬ 
 ward. This River is near as large as that of the Illi¬ 
 nois ; but I cannot give an exaft Account of the 
 length of its Courfe, for we left it about iixty Leagues 
 from its Mouth, to make a Portage into another Ri¬ 
 ver, which runs into the Bay of Puans, as I ftiall ob- 
 ferve when I come to fpcak of our return from IJfati 
 into Canada. This River Ouifconfn runs into the 
 Mefchafpi about an hundred Leagues above that of 
 the Illinois. 
 
 Within five and twenty Leagues after, we met ano¬ 
 ther River coming from the Eaftward, nam'd by the 
 IJfati and Nadoufians, Chebadeba, that is, The Black Ri¬ 
 ver. I can lay very little of it, having obferv’d only 
 its Mouth; but I judge from that, that it is not ve y 
 conliderable. About thirty Leagues higher we found 
 the Lake of Tears, which we nam’d lo, beoaufe the 
 Savages, who took us, as it will be hereafter related, 
 confulted in this Piace what they Ihould do with 
 their Prifoners; and thole who were for murrheiing 
 us, cry'd ah the Night upon us, to oblige, by their 
 Tears, their Companions to confent to our Death. 
 This Lake is form’d by the Mefchafpi , and may be 
 
 L feven 
 
146 A New Vifcovery of 
 
 feven Leagues long, and five broad. Its Waters are 
 almoft ftagnant, the Stream being hardly perceptible 
 in the middle. We met, within a League above the 
 Lake, another River, calld, Jhe River of theWdl 
 Bulls , becaufc of the great number of thole Beifts 
 grazing upon its Banks. It falls with a great Rapidity 
 inr-s the Mifclafpi ; but fome Leagues above its 
 Mouth , the Stream is very gentle and moderate. 
 The. c is an infinite number of large Tortoifes in 
 that River, which are very relifiiing. A Row of 
 Mountains fence its Banks in fome places. 
 
 There is another River, which falls forty Leagues 
 above this lalt, into the Mefchafipi ; thro’ which one 
 may go into the Upper Lake, by making a Fatal 
 from it into the River Niffipikcuct, which runs into 
 the fame Lake. It is full of Rocks and rapid Streams. 
 We nam’d it The River ef the Grave , or Maujohm, 
 becaufe the Savages bury’d there one of their Men, 
 i who was bitten by a Rattle-Snake. They usd 
 Ceremonies in his Funeral, which I fhall defence in 
 another place $ and I put upon his Corps a white 
 Covering; for which the Savages return d me their 
 publick Thanks, and made a great Feaft, to which 
 above an hundred Men were invited. 
 
 The Navigation of th cMejchafpi is interrupted ten 
 Leagues above this River of the Grave, by a Tail ot 
 fifty or fixty Foot, which we call d The Fall of Sr. An¬ 
 thony of fadua, whom we had taken for the Protector 
 of our Dlfcovery. There is a Rock of a Pyrami¬ 
 dal Figure, juft in tire middle of the Fall ot the 
 
 The Row of Mountains fencing the Banks of 
 Aicjchafipi, ends at tire Mouth of the Hir er or f 
 conjln ; and there we likewife obfet v’d, that that lo¬ 
 ver, which runs from thence to the Sea almoft dire 
 
 ly North and South, runs .then from the Wefhyard or 
 
 - • - --- - J?I- ■■■ n f hem 
 
 £ a 
 

 a Large Country in America. 147 
 
 Source, which we cou’d never learn from the Sava¬ 
 ges, who told us only, that about twenty or thirty 
 Leagues above the Fall of St. Anthony , there is ano¬ 
 ther Fall; near which a Nation of Savages inhabit 
 at certain Seafons of the Year. They call thofe Na¬ 
 tions Tsntonha , that is, The Inhabitants of the Me a- 
 dcu>s. 
 
 Eight Leagues above thje Fall of St. Anthony, we 
 ; met with the River of the IJJati or Nadouffians, which 
 1 is very narrow at the Mouth. It comes out from 
 the Lake of the Iff at i, lying about feventy Leagues 
 ' from its Mouth. We call’d this River The River of 
 1 St. Francis ; and it was in this Place that we were 
 made Slaves by the Ijfci. 
 
 The Comic of the Mcfchafifi , according to our 
 bell Computation, is about Eight hundred Leagues 
 long, from Tsntonha to the Sea, including its Wind¬ 
 ings and Turnings; which are very great, and may 
 be navigable from the Fall of St. Atsthmy ,. for flat- 
 : bottom'd Boats, provided the Iflands were clear’d 
 from Trees, and etpecially from'Vines; which having 
 ty d the Trees together, wou’d hop a Boat in many 
 Places. 7 
 
 The Country about the Lake IJfati is a Marfhy 
 I Ground, wherein grows abundance of wild Oats, 
 which grow without any Culture or Sowing, in 
 1 lakes, provided they are not above three Foot deep. 
 
 ■ That Corn is fomewhat like our Oats, but much 
 | better ; and its Stalks are a great deal longer when it 
 is ripe. The Savages gather it, and live thereupon 
 federal Months of the Year, making a kind of Broath 
 thereof. The Savage Women are oblig’d to tie feve- 
 ral Stalks together with White Bark of Trees, to 
 : fright away the Ducks, Teals, or Swans, which 
 : otherwife wou’d Coil it before it be ripe. 
 
 This Lake of IJfati‘Wes within iixty Leagues to the 
 Weft ward or the Upper Lake; but tis impo (Tibia to 
 travel by Land from one to the other, unlefs it be in 
 
 L 2 a hard 
 
148 A New 'Difco'very of 
 
 a hard Froft, becaufe of the Marfhy Grounds, which 
 otherwife link under a Man ; but, as I have already 
 faid, they may ufe their Canon's, tho’ it be very 
 troubleforn, becaufe of the many Portages, and the 
 length of the Way, which, by Reafon of the Wind¬ 
 ings of the River, is about a hundred and fifty 
 , Leagues. The fhorteft way is by the River of the 
 Grave, thro’ which we went in our return. We found 
 nothing but the Bones of the Savage we had bury : d 
 there, the Bears having pull’d out with their Paws 
 the great Stakes the Savages had beat deep into the 
 Ground round about the Corps ; which is their ufual 
 Way of Burying their Dead. We found near the 
 Grave a Caluma or Pipe of War, and a Pot, in which 
 the Savages had left fome fat Meat of Wild Bulls, 
 for the Ufe of their dead Friend, during his Voyage 
 into the Country of Souls ; which flieweth that they 
 
 believe their Immortality. . 
 
 There are many other Lakes near the River/M 
 from which feveral Rivers fpring. The Banks of 
 thofe Rivers are inhabited by the Iffdti,. the hadouf 
 ans, the Tintonha or Inhabit ants of Meadows, the Out- 
 dcbathcn or Men of Rivers . the Chongasketon or Nation 
 of the Wolf or the Dog, for Chcnga lignifies either ot 
 thefe Creatures. There are alfo feveral other Nati¬ 
 ons, which we include under the general Denomina¬ 
 tion of Nadoufians. Thefe Savages may bring mto 
 the Field eight or nine thoufand Men: 1 hey are 
 Brave, Bold, great Runners, and good Markfmen 
 with their Arrows. It was a Party of thefe Savages 
 that took us Prifoners, and carry’d us to the jJJau, as 
 I am going to relate in the following Chapter. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
a Large Country in America. 149 
 
 CHAP. XLV. 
 
 The Author and hts Canou-Men are taken by f he Savages, 
 who, after feveral Attempts upon their Lives , carry 
 them away with them into their Country abo-ve the Ri¬ 
 ver Mefchafipi. 
 
 W E ufed to go to Prayers thrice a Day, as I 
 have elfewhere oblerv’d ; and my conltanc 
 1 Requeft to God was, That when we Hiou’d firft meet 
 the Savages, it might happen to be by Day. Their 
 Cuftom is, to kill as Enemies all they meet by Ni-Jit, 
 to enrich theml'elves with their Spoils, which are no¬ 
 thing bur a parcel of Hatchets, Knives, and fuch 
 like Trifles; which yet they value more than we do 
 Gold or Silver. They make no fcruple to alljiffinate 
 . even their own Allies, when they think they can 
 handlomly conceal the Murder ; for by fitch- Exploits 
 it is they hope to gain the Reputation ot being great 
 Soldiers, and to pais for Men ot Courage and ke- 
 folution. 
 
 ’Twas with a great deal of Satisfaction that we 
 furvey’d the Pleafures of the River Alejchafipi , all 
 along our Palfage up it, which had been lince the 
 firft of April. Nothing as yet had interrupted our 
 Obfervations, whether it were navigable above or 
 below. In our way we kill’d feven or eight Bu'Uids 
 or Wild Turkeys, which in thefe Countries encrcafe 
 mightily, as well as all other Wild Creatuies. We 
 had alfo plenty of Bulls, Deers, Caftors, Filh, and 
 Bears Flelh ; which laft we kill’d as they were fwim- 
 ming over the River. 
 
 And here I cannot forbear ferioufly reflecting on 
 that fecret Pleafure and Satisfaction of Mind,which is 
 to be found in Prayer, and the real Advantages which 
 may be drawn from thence, when I conlider how 
 ■ L 5 effectually 
 
150 A ISlcw Dijcovery of 
 
 effectually my own were heard : For the fame Day, 
 being the Twelfth of April , as our two Men were 
 boiling one of the Bullards, and my felf refitting 
 our Canou on the Banks of the River, I perceiv’d 
 all of a fudden, about Two in the Afternoon, no 
 lefs than fifty Canou’s, which were made of Bark, 
 and mann’d with a hundred and twenty Savages, 
 who were Hark naked, and came down the River 
 with an extraordinary Swiftnefs, to furprize the Mi¬ 
 ami’s, Minus, and March ar;s, their Enemies. ' m 1 5 
 
 We threw away the Broath which was a prepa¬ 
 ring, and getting aboard as faff as we cou’d, made 
 towards them, crying out thrice, Mifiigotube and IX- 
 atchezj which in the Language of the Irxjueft and 
 Algonquin s , is as much as to fay, Comrades, we art 
 Men of W ooden Canou s ; for fo they call thofe that fail 
 in great Velfels. This had no effect, .for the Barba¬ 
 rians underllood not what we faid ; lb that they 
 furroundcd us immediately, and began to let fly their 
 Arrows at a dilhmce, till the Eldeli amongft them 
 perceiving that I had a Calumet or Pipe of Peace in 
 my liahd. came up to us, and prevented our being 
 murdered by their Warriours. 
 
 Tilde Aden who are more brutal than thofe of the 
 lower River, fell a jumping out of their Canou’s, 
 feme upon Land, others into the Water ; furround¬ 
 ing us on ail Sides with Shrieks and Out-cries that 
 were indeed very terrifying. ’Twas to no purpofeto 
 refill, being but three'to fo great a number. One of 
 them Inarch'd the Pipe of Peace out of my Hand, as 
 our Canou and theirs were faltned together on the 
 Bank of the River. Wo pfefented them with fome 
 fmall Pieces of Mmibico Tobacco, bccaufe it was bet¬ 
 ter than what?they ljiadzviiAs they receiv'd it, the El¬ 
 ders of them cry id out AUnbinta, Miahma ; but what 
 they meant;hy io<, we JsneW not. However, we made 
 Signs with ,onr Oars upon-the Sand, that the Miamii 
 tiieir Enemies, whom-.they were in fearch of, had 
 
a Large Country in America. 15 1 
 
 pals’d the River, and were upon their Flight to join 
 the Illinois. 
 
 When they faw themfelves difcover’d, and confe- 
 quently out of all hopes of furprizing their Enemies, 
 three or four of the eldeft of them laid their hands 
 on my Head, and began to weep bitterly, accom¬ 
 panying their Tears with fuch mournful Accents 
 as can hardly be exprelVd; till with a forry Hand¬ 
 kerchief of Armenian Cloth, whi^h 1 had left, 
 I made a Shift to dry up their Tears : However, to 
 very little purpofe ; for refuling to fmoak in our 
 Calumet or Pipe of Peace, they thereby gave us to 
 underftand, that their defign was ftill to murder us. 
 Hereupon with an horrid Out-cry, which they fet up 
 all at once, to make it yet the more terrible, they 
 hun y’d us crols the River, forcing us to redouble the 
 Stroaks of our Oar, to make the more fpeed ; and 
 entertaining us all the while.with fuch difmal Howl- 
 ings, as were capable of linking Terrour into the 
 molt relblute and dariog Souls. Being come a-ihoar 
 on the ocher fide, we unloaded our Canou, and 
 landed our Things, part of which they had robb’d 
 us of already. Some time after our Landing, we 
 made a fire a fecond time, to make an end of boiling 
 our Bultard. Two others we prelented the Barbari¬ 
 ans, who having confulted together what they fhould 
 do with us, two of their Leaders came up to us, and 
 made us to underltand by Signs, that their Warriours 
 were tefolv’d upon our Death. This oblig’d me, 
 whilft one of our Canou-Men look’d after our 
 Things, to go with the other, and apply my felf to 
 to their Chiefs. Six Hatchets, fifteen Knives, lome 
 pieces of Tobacco, was the Prefent chat I made 
 them. After which, bending my Neck, and point¬ 
 ing to a Hatchet, I fignifi’d to them by that Submif- 
 fion, that we threw our felves on their Mercy. 
 
 The Prefent had die good effed to foften fome of 
 them, who, according to their Cuftom, gave us 
 
 L 4 fome 
 
152 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 feme Flefh of Beaver to eat, themfelves putting the 
 three firft Bits in our Mouths; having firft blown 
 upon it, becaufe the Meat was hot. After this they 
 fet their Platter before us, which was made of the 
 Bark of a Tree, leaving us at liberty to feed after 
 our own fafhion. Thele Gvilities did not hinder us 
 from patting the Night very uneafily, becaufe in 
 the Evening before they went to deep, they 
 had return’d ^is our Calumet of Peace. The two 
 Canou-Men refolv’d to fell their Lives as dear as 
 they could, and to defend themfelves like Men to 
 the laft, in cafe they fliou’d attack us. For my part, 
 I told them I refolv’d to fuffer my felf to be flain 
 without the leaft Refiftance, in Imitation of our Sa¬ 
 viour, who refign’d hinifelf up voluntarily into the 
 hand of his Executioner. However, we watch’d all 
 Night by turns, that we might not be furpriz’d in 
 our Sleep. 
 
 C H A J>. XLVI. 
 
 V • u ■ l 
 
 The Refolution which the Barbarians took to carry the Au¬ 
 thor and his two Men along with them up into their 
 Country, above the River Mefchafipi. ' . on 
 
 T HE 15th of April, very early in the Morning, 
 one of their Captains, whole Name was Nar- 
 rhetoba, being one of thole who had been for killing 
 us, and whole Body was painted all over, came and 
 demanded my Pipe of Peace. It being deliver’d 
 him, he fill'd it with Tobacco of their own growth, 
 and made thole of his- own Band fmoak in it firft; 
 then all the reft that had been for putting us to death. 
 After this he made Signs, that we muft go with them 
 into their Country, whither they were then about 
 to return. This Propofal did not ftartle me much, 
 tor having caus d the Enterprise which they had 
 
a Large Country in America. 15 $ 
 
 fram’d againft their Enemies to mifcarry, I was not 
 unwilling to embrace any opportunity of making 
 farther Difcoveries amongft thefe barbarous Na¬ 
 tions. 
 
 That which perplex'd me molt, was the Difficulty 
 I had of faying my Office, and performing the reft 
 of my Devotions, in the prefence of thefe Wretches. 
 Many of them obferving my Lips to move, told 
 me in. a harfh and fetere Tone, Ouackcmche 5 from 
 whence, becaufe we underftood not a word of their 
 Languge, we concluded them to be very angry. 
 Michael Ah , one of the Canon-Men, told me with 
 a frightful Air, that if I continu’d to fay my Bre¬ 
 viary, we fhould infallibly be murthef’d by them. 
 Vicard dll Gay defir’d me at leaft to fay my Prayers in 
 private, for fear of enraging them too far. The laft 
 Advice feem’d the beft; but the more 1 endeavour’d 
 to conceal my felf, the more of them had I at my 
 Heels. If at any time I retir’d into the Woods, they 
 immediately concluded 'twas to hide fomething : So 
 that I knew not which way to turn me for the perfor¬ 
 mance of my Duty; for they would never fuffer 
 me a moment out of their Sight. 
 
 This compelled me at laft to acquaint the two Ca- 
 nou-Men, that I cou’d no longer difpenfe with my 
 felf in omitting, the Duty of my Office : That if 
 they ftlou’d murder us on this Account, I fhou’d in¬ 
 deed be the innocent Caufe of their Death as well 
 as my oWn; that therefore I ran the fame Rifque as 
 they, but that no Danger was great enough to jufti- 
 fie me in the difpenfing with my Duty. In fine, the 
 Barbarians underftood by the Word Ouackanche , that 
 the Book in which I read, was an evil Spirit, as I af¬ 
 terwards underftood by being amongft them. How¬ 
 ever, I then knew by their Geftures, that they had 
 an averfion for it. Wherefore to ufe them to it by 
 degrees, I was wont to fmg the Litanies, as we were 
 upon the Way, holding the Book in my Hand. They 
 
 fondly 
 
i 54 d New DifcoVery of 
 
 fondly believ’d my Breviary was a Spirit, which 
 taught me to fing thus for their Diverfion. AU thefe 
 People naturally love Singing. 
 
 C H A P. XL VII. 
 
 ■ 
 
 The many Outrages done us by the Savages , before we ar¬ 
 riv'd in their Country, They frequently dejign againft 
 cur Lives, 
 
 np H E many Outrages which were done us by 
 , X thefe Barbarians, through the whole Courfeof 
 our Voyage, are not to be imagin’d. Our Gaoou 
 was both bigger and heavier laden than theirs. They 
 feldom carry any thing but a Quiver full of Arrows, 
 a Bow, and fome forry Skin or other, which ufually 
 ferves two of them for a Coverlet. The Mights 
 were fharp as yet for the Seafon, by reafon of our 
 advancing Hill Northwards; fo that at Night ’twas 
 neceflary to keep our felves as warm as we could. 
 
 Our Conductors obferving that we did not make 
 fo much way as themfelves, order’d three of their 
 Warriours to go aboard us. One feated himfelf on 
 my Left, the other two behind the Men, to help 
 them to rovy, that we might make the more hafte. 
 The Barbarians fometimes row no lefs than thirty 
 Leagues a day, when they are in hafte to take the 
 Field, and defign to furprize their Enemies. Thofe 
 who took us were of divers Villages, and as much 
 divided in their Sentiments, in regard of us. Every 
 Evening ’twas our peculiar Care to plant our Cabin 
 near the youpg Chief, who had taken Tobacco in 
 our Pipe of Peace; fignifying to him thereby, that 
 we put our Helves under his Protection. 
 
 This we did, by reafon of the D vifions which 
 reign'd amongft the Savages. Aquipaguetin, one of 
 their Chiefs, who had a Son kill’d by the Miami's , 
 
 finding 
 
a Large Country in America. 155 
 
 finding he could not revenge himfelf of that Nation, 
 thought of venting his Paffion upon us. Every 
 Night would he bewail his Son, whom he had loft in 
 the War, thinking thereby to ftir up thofe of his 
 Band to revenge his Death, by killing us, feizing our 
 Effeds, and afcer that purfuing the Miami's. But 
 the other Savages, who were very fond of European 
 Commodities, thought it more advifeable to protect 
 Us, that other Europeans might be encourag’d to come 
 amongft them. They chiefly defir’d Guns, upon 
 which they fet the higheft Value, having.feen the 
 ufe of them upon one of our Canou-Men’s killing 
 three or four Bullards or wild Turkies, at one lingle 
 Difcharge of his Fufil $ whereas they could not kill 
 above one at a time with their Bows. 
 
 We have underftood by them fince, that the 
 Words ManXjH Ouackanche lignifte Iron poflefi’d by an 
 Eruil Spirit. So they call the Fufil, which breaks a 
 Man’s Bones; whereas their Arrows glide only be¬ 
 tween the Flelh and cheMufcles, which they pierce 
 without breaking the Bone at all, or very feldom at 
 leaft. For which reafon it is, that thel'e People do 
 much ealier cure the Wounds which are made by the 
 Arrow or Dart, than thofe of the Fufil. 
 
 When we were firft taken by the Barbarians, we 
 were got about an hundred and fifty Leagues up the 
 River, from that of the Illinois. We row’d after¬ 
 wards in their Company for nineteen Days together, 
 fometimes North , fometimes North-Eaft , as we 
 iudg’d by the Quarters from whence the Wind 
 blew, and according to the beft Obfervations we 
 cou d make by our Compafs. So that after thefe Bar¬ 
 barians had forc'd us to follow them, we made more 
 than two hundred and fifty Leagues upon that fame 
 Riv er. The Savages are of an extraordinary Force 
 in a Canou. They’ll row from Morning to Night 
 wit.,out refting, or hardly allowing themfelves fo 
 much time as to eat their Victuals. 
 
 To 
 
15 6 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 To oblige us to follow them thb fafter, there were 
 ufually four or five of their Men a-board us; for our 
 Canou was larger, and deeper loaden than theirs, fo 
 that we had need of their Afliftance, to be able to 
 , keep ’em company. When it rain’d, we fet up our 
 Tilts j but when ’twas fair, the Heavens were our 
 Canopy. By this means we had leifure to take our 
 Obfervations from the Moon and the Stars when it 
 was clear. Notwithstanding the fatigue of the Day, 
 the ycungeft of the Warriours went at Night and 
 danc’d the Reed before four or five of their Captains 
 till Midnight. The Captain to whofe Quarter they 
 went, fent with a deal of Ceremony to thofe that 
 danc’d, a Warriour of his own Family, to make 
 them fmoak one after another in his own Reed of 
 War, which is diftinguifh’d from that of Peace by 
 its Feathers. 
 
 This fort of Ceremony is always concluded by the 
 two Youngeft of thofe who have had any Relations 
 kill’d in the Wars. Thefe take feveral Arrows, and 
 laying them a-crofs at the point, prefent them in 
 that manner to their Captains, weeping very bitter¬ 
 ly ; who, notwithstanding the excels of their Sor¬ 
 row, return them back to be kifs’d. In fhort, nei¬ 
 ther the Fatigues of the Day, nor Watchings, 
 are fufficicnt to prevail with the Elders fo much as to 
 fruit their Eyes, mod of them watching till alnioft 
 Break of Day, for fear of being furpriz’d by their 
 • Enemies. As loon as the Morning appears, one of 
 them fets up the ordinary Cry, when in a moment 
 the Warriours are all in their Canou’s. Some are 
 fent to encompals the Iflands, and to fee what Game 
 they can meet with ; whflft others that are more 
 fwift, go by Land to dilcover by the Smoak the 
 Place where the Enemies lie. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
a Large Country in America: 157 
 
 C H A P. XLVIIL 
 
 The Advantages which the Savages of the North have over 
 thofe of the South , in relation to the War ; As aljo thi 
 Ceremony which was perform’d by one of our Captains, 
 having caus’d us to hah at Noon. „ 
 
 W Hen the Savages of the North are at War, ’tis 
 their Cuftom to poft themfelves upon the 
 point of fome one of thole many Iflands, ot which 
 this River is full, where they look upon themfelves 
 to be always fafe. Thofe cif the South, who arc 
 their Enemies, having nothing but Pyrogues , or Ca- 
 nou’s of Wood, with which they cannot go very 
 faft, becaufe of their weight. None but the Nor¬ 
 thern Nations have Birch to make Canou’s of their 
 Bark. The People of the South are depriv’d of this 
 Advantage, whereas thofe of the North can with an 
 admirable facility pafs from Lake to Lake, and River 
 to River, to attack their Enemy. Nay, when they 
 are difeover’d, they value it not, provided they have 
 time to recover their Canou’s ; for ’tis impolfible for 
 thofe who purfue them either by Land, or in the 
 Pyrogues , to do it with any Succefs. 
 
 As to what relates to Ambufcades, no Nation, in 
 the World comes near thofe Northern Savages, being 
 patient of Hunger, and the utmoft Severities of the 
 Weather, beyond belief. TTis their fure Game; and 
 they never fail being fuccour’d by three or four of 
 their Comrades, whenever their Enemies attack ’em. 
 So that they always bring their Defigns about this 
 way, at leait, if not over power’d fo by Numbers, 
 as not to be able to recover their Canou s, and lave 
 themfelves by flight. ■ . ' 
 
 One of the nineteen Days of our moft tirefome 
 Voyage, a Captain call’d Aquipaguetin, who after¬ 
 wards 
 
15 8 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 wards adopted me for his Son, as we (hall fee anon, 
 thought it advifabte to halt about Noon in a fine large 
 Meadow, fituate on the Weft of the River Mefcha- 
 ftpi. This Chief had kill’d a large fat Bear, to which 
 he invited the principal Captains of the Warriours. 
 After the Repaft, thefe Savages having all of them 
 certain Marks in the Face, and their Bodies painted 
 with the Figure of fome Beaft, fuch as every one 
 fancy’d heft, their Hair being alfo anointed with the 
 Oil of Bears, and ftuck all over with red and white 
 Feathers, and their Heads cover’d with the Down of 
 Birds, began to dance with their Hands all upon 
 their Hip, and (h iking the Soles of their Feet with 
 that violence againft the Earth, that the very Marfa 
 appear’d. During the Dance, one of the Sons of the 
 Mafter of the Ceremonies, made ’em all fmoak in 
 the Pipe of War, himfelf (bedding abundance of 
 Tears during the whole Adion. And the Father, 
 who marlhall'd the whole melancholy Scene, accom- 
 pany’d him with a Voice fo lamentable and broken, 
 with fo many riling Sighs, as were capable of melting 
 the moll obdurate Pleart, bathing himfelf all the 
 while in his Tears: Sometimes would he addrefs 
 himfelf to the Warriour, fometimes to me, laying 
 his Hands on my Head, as he did alfo on my Mens. 
 Sometimes would he lift up his Eyes to Heaven, re¬ 
 peating the Word Louts, which in their Speech figni- 
 fies the Sun, appealing to him for Juftice on the Mur¬ 
 derers of his Son, and hoping to engage his Followers 
 to avenge his Death. 
 
 As for us, as far as we could judge, all this Gri¬ 
 mace boded us no good : And indeed we afterwards 
 underftood, that this Barbarian meant nothing lefs 
 than our Deftrudion by it, as well now as at other 
 times. But finding the oppofition he was like to 
 meet with from the other Chiefs, who were of a 
 contrary Opinion, he was content to fuffer us to re¬ 
 embark, refotving however to make ufe of fome o- 
 
a Large Country in America. 15 9 
 
 ther Stratagem to get into his own Hands by little 
 and little the reft of our Things. To take them 
 from us openly by force, tho’ he eafily could, he 
 durft not, for fear of thofe of his own Nation, who 
 for fuch an Action would have accus’d him of a 
 Bafenefs of Spirit, which even the moll barbarous 
 difdain. 
 
 CHAP. XLIX. 
 
 What Tricks and Artifices were us'd by Aquipaguetin 
 to cheat us handfomely of our Goods j with many other 
 Accidents that hapned in our Voyage. 
 
 B ||£ what has been faid, it plainly appears‘that 
 Aquipaguetin was a crafty deligning Knave. He 
 had with him the Bones of one of his deceas’d Friends, 
 which he kept very choicely, in the Skin of a Beaft, 
 adorn’d with feveral red and black Lifts of a Porcu- 
 jing’s. He would be from time to time allembling 
 iis Followers to make them fmoak ; and then would 
 le fend for us one after another, and oblige us to 
 cover the Bones of their Deceas’d with fome of our 
 European Merchandife, in order to dry up the Tears 
 which he had fhed for him and his Sou, who had 
 been kill’d by the Miami's. 
 
 To appeafe the crafty old Savage, we ftrewd on 
 the Bones of the Deceas’d feveral Pieces of Marti- 
 w'co-Tobacco, Hatchets, Knives, Beads, and fome 
 Bracelets of black and white Porcelain. Thus you 
 fee how we were drain’d by fuch Methods and Pre¬ 
 tences, as we could not eaiily gainfay. He gave us 
 to underftand. That what he had thus demanded of 
 us, was not for himfelf but the Dead, and to give 
 the Warriours that he brought with him ; and indeed 
 he diftributed among!! them whatever he took from 
 us. He would have had us underftocd by this. That 
 
1 6 o A New DifcoVery of 
 
 as a Captain he would take nothing himfelf but what 
 we fliould freely prefcnt him with. 
 
 All this while we lay at the point of the Lake of 
 Tears ; we nam’d it fo by reafon of the Tears which 
 this Chief did Ihed here every Night. When he was 
 weary of Weeping, he made one of his Sons come 
 and fupply his Place. His Deligri in this was to ex¬ 
 cite the Compaflion of the Warriors, and to prevail 
 with them to kill us, and after that to purfue their 
 Enemies; and fo revenge the Death of his Son which 
 he had loft. J 
 
 Sometimes they fent the fwifteft amongft them by 
 Land to feek for prey, who would drive whole Droves 
 of wild Bulls before them, and force them to fwira 
 the River. Of thefe they fometimes kill d forty or 
 fifty,' but took only the Tongues, and fome other of 
 the belt Pieces: The reft they left, not to burden 
 themfelves, that they might make the more hafte 
 home. 
 
 ’Tis true, we had Provifions plenty and good; 
 but then we had neither Bread nor Wine, nor Sait, 
 nor indeed any tiring elfe to feafon it; and this lafted 
 during the Fourlaft Years of thealmoft Twelve that 
 I liv’d in America. In our laft Voyage, we liv’d much 
 after the fame manner, fometimes abounding, and 
 at other times again reduc’d to the laft Extremity; 
 fo that we have not eat a bit for four and twenty 
 hours together, and fometimes longer. The reafon 
 is, becaufe in fmall Canou’s of Bark, one can flow 
 but little : So that whatever Precaution a Man may 
 ufe, he will often find himfelf deftitute of all things 
 neceftary for Life. Did the Religious of Europe un¬ 
 dergo half the Fatigues, or did they but obferve the 
 Falls that we have kept for fo long a time together 
 in America , there would need no Proofs to Cano¬ 
 nize them. But then it muft be own’d, that what 
 deftroys the Merits of our Falls, was, that if w jj 
 did fufifer on fuch occafions, our Sufferings proceeded 
 
a Large Country in America. \ 6 \ 
 
 nor from our Choice ; but, as the proverbial Saying 
 is, our Virtue was our Neceflity. 
 
 CHAP. L. 
 
 The Elders weep for us during the Night. New Outrages 
 done us by Aquipaguetin. The manner how the Sa¬ 
 vages make Fire by Friciicn. * 
 
 TV /f Any Nights together fome or other of the El- 
 1 .VJ. ders came and wept over us. They rubb’d 
 our Arms and Bodies very often with their Hands, 
 which they afterwards laid on our Heads. Thefe 
 Tears gave us many uneafie Thoughts; ’twas im- 
 poffible to fleep for them; and yet we had need 
 enough of Reft, afcer the great Fatigues of the Day. 
 Nor was I eafier by Day : I knew not what to think; 
 fometimes I fanfied that they bewail’d us, as know¬ 
 ing fome of the Warrioi’s had refolv’d to kill us; 
 and other times again I flatter’d my felf, that their 
 Teal's were the elded of their Companion, for the 
 evil Treatment they m<rde us undergo. However it 
 were, I am fure thefe Tears affeded me more than 
 thofe that fhed them. 
 
 About this time, Aquipaguetin had another oppor¬ 
 tunity of perfecuting us af elh: He had lo dexterouf- 
 ly manag’d the Matter with the Warriors of his Par¬ 
 ty, that it was one Day impracticable for us to en¬ 
 camp near the young Chief Narhetoba, who protected 
 us, but were forc’d to go and place our felves, with 
 our Canou and Eft'eds at the end of the Gamp. 
 Then it was that thele-Barbarians gave us to under- 
 ftand, that the aforeftid Captain was fully refolv d 
 to have our Heads. This oblig d us to have recourfe 
 once more to our Chelf, and to take out twenty 
 Knives and fome Tobacco, which we diitributcd a- 
 
 M mong 
 
\ 6 i A Kew Vifcoyery of 
 
 mong them with an Air that diffidently teftify’d otir 
 Difcontent. 
 
 The unreafonable Wretch look’d earneftly upon 
 his Followers one after another, as if he were in 
 doubt what to do, and confequently to demand their 
 Advice, whether he ought to receive our Prefent or 
 refufe it. But whilit we were inclining our Necks, 
 and delivering him the Ax, the young Commander, 
 who feem’d to be our Prote&or (and it may be real¬ 
 ly was) came and fnatch’d us by the Arm, and all in 
 a rage hurry’d us away to his Cabin. His Brother 
 too taking up fome Arrows, broke ’em in our fight, 
 to affine us by that Action, that he would proted 
 our Lives at the hazard of his own. d fj 
 
 The next Day they left us alone in our Canou, 
 without putting any of their Men a-board to afiift us, 
 as they had hitherto done: However, they kept ail 
 in the reer of us. After rowing four or five Leagues, 
 another of-their Captains came up to us, and made 
 us land. As foon as we got on fhoar, he fell to cut¬ 
 ting of Grafs, which he made into three little Heaps, 
 ana bade us fit down upon them : Then he took a 
 piece of Cedar, which was full of little round Holes, 
 into one of which he thruff: a Stick of a harder Sub- 
 fiance than the Cedar, and began to rub it about 
 pretty faff between the Palms of his Hands, till at 
 length it took fire. The ufe he put it to was to 
 light the Tobacco in his great Pipe; and after he 
 had wept fome time over us, and laid his Hands on 
 our Pleads, he made me fmoak in a Calumet, or Pipe 
 of Peace; and then acquainted us by Signs, that with¬ 
 in fixteen Days we fliould be at home. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 6 ] 
 
 CHAP. LI. 
 
 Ceremonies usd by the Savages when they fisare their Tri- 
 goner s. Continuation of our Journey by Land. 
 
 H Aving thus travell’d nineteen Days in our Canou 
 by Water, we arriv’d at length within five or 
 fix Leagues of the Fall, to which we had formerly 
 1 given the Name of St. Anthony , as we came to un- 
 derftand afterwards. Here the Barbarians order’d us 
 to land in a Creek of the River Mefchajipi ; after 
 which, they' held an Affembly, to confult what they 
 were to do with us. In /hoit, they feparated, and 
 gave us to three of their Chiefs, inlread of three of 
 their Sons which had been kill’d in the War: Then 
 they feiz’d our Canou, and took away all our 
 Equipage. The Canou they pull’d to pieces, for fear 
 it might aflift us to return to their Enemies: Their 
 own they hid amongft the Alders, to ufe again when 
 they Ihould have occafion to hunt that way. So that 
 tho’ we might have gone conveniently enough quite 
 up into their Country by Water, yet were we oblig’d, 
 by their Conduct, to travel no leu than fixty Leagues 
 a-foot. 
 
 Our ordinary Marches were from break of Day 
 till ten at Night: And when we met with any Ri¬ 
 vers, we fwam them, themlelves (who for the Molt 
 part are of an extraordinary fize) carrying our 
 Clothes and Equipage on their Heads, and the 
 Canou-Men, who were lefs than me, upon their 
 Shoulders, becaufe they could not fwim. As I us’d 
 to come out of the Water, which was often full of 
 Ice, for we travell’d ftill North, I waj hardly able to 
 Hand upon my Legs. In thefe Parts the Frcfts con¬ 
 tinue all Night even at this time of the Year; fo 
 
 M z that 
 
164 A New 'Di [covery of 
 
 that our Legs were all over Blood, being cut by the 
 Ice, which we broke by degrees in our Pafiage as 
 we waded o'er the Lakes and Rivers. We never eat 
 but once in four and twenty Hours, and then no¬ 
 thing but a few Scraps of Meat dry 'd in Smoak after 
 their Fafhion, which they afforded us with abundance 
 
 of regret. » 
 
 I was fo weak that I often laid me down, revi¬ 
 ving rather to die than follow thefe Savages any far¬ 
 ther, who travell'd at a rate fo extraordinary, as far 
 furpaiils the Strength of any European. However, to 
 haflen us, they fonietimes Yet fire to the dry Grafs 
 in the Meadows through which we pafs d ; fo that 
 our Choice was march or burn. I had a Hat which 
 I had taken with me, to fence me from the Sun du¬ 
 ring the Heats of the Summer. This would often 
 fall from fny Head into the Fire, becaufe it was not 
 over-fit,' and the Fire fo very near. The Barbarians 
 would fnatch it out again, and lend me a hand to 
 £ivc me from the Flames^ which they had kindled, 
 as well as to haften our March, as I have faid, 
 as Vo give notice to their 1 People of their return. 
 I mult here acknowledge , that had it not been 
 for (lu Gay, who ’did all be could to encourage 
 me, through the whole Courfe of this tirefome 
 March, I had certainly funk under the Fatigues 
 of it, having neither Spirits nor Strength left to 
 fupport me. 
 
 CHAP' 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 6 5 
 
 C H A P. LII. 
 
 A great Contejl arifes amongjl the Savages, about divi¬ 
 ding cur Merchandise and Equipage ; as alo my Sa¬ 
 cerdotal Ornaments and little Chefi. ? 
 
 A Fter having travell’d about fixty' Leagues a-foot, 
 and undergone ail the Fatigues of Hunger, 
 Thirft, and Cold, befides a thoufand Outrages - daily 
 done us in our Perfons, after we had march'd Night 
 and Day without cealing, wading through Lakes 
 and Rivers, and fometimes fwam. As vvc now be¬ 
 gan to approach the Habitations of the Barbarians, 
 which are fituated in Morafies inacceffibic to their 
 Enemies, they thought it a proper time to divide the 
 Merchandife which they had taken from us. Here 
 they had like to have fallen cut and cut one another’s 
 Throats, about the Roil of Murtinico-T ob.acco, 
 which might ftiil weigh about fifty Pound. ' T 'hcfe 
 People value this Commodity far beyond what we 
 do Silver or . Gold. They, have very good of their 
 own growth ; but this wasfo well drefsd, and made 
 up into fuch beautiful Rings, that they were perfect¬ 
 ly charm’d with it. The moil reafonab c anaongft 
 them made us underhand by Signs, that they would 
 give their Canou-Men feveral Cahor-Skins in return 
 for what they had taken : But others looking upon 
 us as Slaves, becaufe they laid we had furnilh’d Arms 
 to their Enemies, maintain’d that they were no ways 
 oblig’d to make any return for the Things they 
 had taken. 
 
 The reafon why they divided the Spoil here, was, 
 becaufe this Band was compos’d of two or three dif¬ 
 ferent People : So that thole that liv'd at a diflance, 
 were apprehenfive leh the others, who were juft at 
 home, might detain all the Merchandife which they 
 
 M 3 had 
 
\ _ / 
 
 1 66 A New Difcovery of 
 
 had taken., in the firft Villages they fhould comeat; 
 and therefore were refolv’d to play a fure Game, 
 and have their Share aforehand. Nor had they any 
 greater Refped for what belong’d to me, than for 
 the Merchandife which they took from the Canou- 
 rnen ; for they feiz’d my Brocard Ghafuble, and all 
 the Ornaments of my portable Chapel, except the 
 Chalice, which they durft not touch. They ob- 
 farv'd that this Veflel, which was of Silver gilt,' caft 
 a glittering Light, fo that as often as they chanc’d to 
 look towards it, they would fiiut their Eyes: The 
 reafon was, as/we underftood afterwards, becaufe 
 they believ’d it to be a Spirit which would kill them. 
 I had a little Cheft, ( which I kept lock’d ; they made 
 me underitand by Signs, that if I did not open it, 
 or break the Lock, they would do it for me, againft 
 forne fharp Stones which they Ihew’d me. The rea¬ 
 fon why they threatned me thus, was, becaufe they 
 had not been able to open it all the way, though 
 they attempted it feveral times, to fee what was in 
 it. Thefe People underftand nothing of Locks and 
 Keys: Befides, their Defign was not to cumber them- 
 felves wit!) the Box it (elf, but only to take out the 
 Things that were in it. After I had open’d it, and 
 they law there was little or nothing in it but Books 
 and Papers, they left it me untouch’d. 
 
 CHAP. LIII. 
 
 The Troop approaches the Village . A Grand Ccnfult omonf 
 the Savages, whether they Jhould kill us , or feme anl 
 adopt res for their Sens. The Reception 'which we hd 
 from them ; and the uft they made uf my Chafuble . 
 
 A Fter five hard Days travel, without fo much as 
 refting, except a little by Night in the open 
 Air, we perceiv’d at laft abundance of Women and 
 
 Children 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 67 
 
 Children corning out to meet our little Army : All 
 the Elders of the. Nation were affembled upon this 
 Occalion. We obfervd feveral Cabins, near the 
 Pofts of which Jay feveral Trulfes of Straw and dry’d 
 Weeds, where tiiefe-Barbarians are wont to fallen 
 and burn the Slaves which they bring home with 
 them from their Wars. Here they order'd Picard du 
 Gay to ling, who all the time rattled a hollow Gourd 
 full of little round Stones, which he held in his 
 Hand. I obferv d moreover, that his Hair and Face 
 were painted with different Colours, and that they 
 had faftned a Tuft of white Feathers to his Head. 
 Thefe Ceremonies renew'd our Fears; and we 
 thought we had more reafon than ever to believe, 
 that they had Itiil a Defign to put us to death. Nor 
 were our Fears groundlefs, fince thefe, with many 
 others, are the Ceremonies which they ule at the 
 burning of their Enemies. , 
 
 The worrt was, we could not make our felves be 
 underftood. However, after many Vows and fecret 
 Prayers which we offer’d up to God on this Occalion, 
 the Barbarians at Jaft gave us fome wild Oats to eat, 
 of which I luve fpoken eifewhere. They gave them 
 us in great Dilhes made of Birdr-trees; and the Sa¬ 
 vage Women feafon’d them with Bluex,. This is a 
 fort of Black Grain, which they dry in the Sun in the 
 Summer, and are as good as Corrans: The Dutch call 
 them Clake-befien. 
 
 All the while the Feaft lafted, which was the beft 
 Meal that we had made ever fince we had been ta¬ 
 ken, there was a high Difpuce between Aft/paguttin 
 and the others, about the Birtribution they were to 
 make of the two Canou-men and my felf. At lart 
 Aefuifaguetin, as Head of the Party, carry d it; who 
 turning from one of the principal Captains towards 
 me, prefented me to fmoak in his CAumet of Peace, 
 receiving from me at the fame time that which we 
 had brought, as a certain Pledge of the Union which 
 
 M 4 was 
 
1 68 A New Difco'very of 
 
 was to be for the future ’twixt them and us. After 
 this, he adopted me for his Son, in the room of him 
 that he had loft in the War. 
 
 Cnarbetoba and another Captain did the fame by 
 the two Canou-men. This Separation was very 
 grievous to us, tho fomewhat allay’d by the Satisfa¬ 
 ction we had to find that our lives were fafe. Dn Gay 
 took me afide to confefs him, being fenfible of the 
 uncertain Condition his Life was in, amongft fo bar¬ 
 barous a People. This oblig’d him to embrace me 
 very heartily, and to beg my Pardon for what was 
 pa(t. having firlt made the fame Requeft to God. I 
 fhould have' been overjoy’d to have feen Michael Ah 
 as well difpos’d : However, I did not omit to ftew 
 both the one and the other all the Marks of a moll 
 tender Aflfe&ion. jh,#. / 
 
 In lliort, the Savages having parted us, led us 
 away each to his own V illage. Our Way lay over a 
 Morafs, where we march’d half way the Leg in Wa¬ 
 ter for a League together, at the end of which we 
 were met by five of Acfttipaguetins Wives, who re¬ 
 ceiv’d me in one of the three Canon’s of Bark which 
 they had brought with them, and then carry d me a 
 little League farther into a fin all Ifland, where their 
 Cabins were. 
 
 CHAP. LIV. 
 
 The Authors Reception by the Relations af Atjuipaguetin. 
 They snake him fweat to recover him of his batigues. 
 The uft they make of bis Chaftible and other Ornaments . 
 
 I Arriv’d at this Place in the Month of May, 1680. 
 
 the Day I cannot precifely tell j for I was fo ha- 
 rafs’d by the Savages on the Way, that I could not 
 make all the little Obfervations which otherwife I 
 would have done: Befides, there is fome feven or 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 6<y 
 
 eight Hours difference between the Days and Nights 
 of Europe, and thofe of Noith-^'wcma, becaufe of 
 the Retrogi adation of the Sun. The Cape was al¬ 
 ways to Weft of us from Rochel to Quebec ; but to 
 South-weft from thence, till we came to Mtfebafipi , 
 which made a confiderable Variation in the Needle. 
 
 This Variation was oceafiond by the unconftant 
 motion of the Needle, which in certain latitudes 
 would cncline to the North, or North-Eaft j where¬ 
 as in others ’twould turn from the North to the 
 North-weft. We never could be fo well affur d of 
 our Computations in our long V oyages, as to know 
 exadhy the way our Canou’s made in a Day, or 
 what was the Variation of the Needle in each Lati¬ 
 tude. But we found there were many Minutes of 
 Variation, according to the Point the Wind was in. 
 To fay the truth, able Men might have loft the Me¬ 
 mory of many things under the fame Circumftan- 
 ces with mv felf. 
 
 At the entry of the Captain s Cabin who had a- 
 dopted me, one of the Barbafians, who feeord to 
 be very o'.d, prefented me with a great Pipe to Imoak 
 in, and weeping over me all the while with abun¬ 
 dance of Tears, rubb d both my Arms and my Head. 
 This was to Ihew how concern d he was to fee 
 me fo harafs d and fatigu’d : And indeed I had 
 often need enough of two Men to fupport me 
 when I was up, or raife me when I was down. 
 There was a Bears-Skin before the Fire, upon which 
 jlig youngeft Boy of the Cabin caus d me to lie 
 down, and then with the Greafe of wild Cats anoint¬ 
 ed my Thighs, Legs, and Soles of my Feet. 
 
 ytquiptfguetin s Son, who call d me Brother, had 
 got my Brocard Chafuble, and was ftrutting up and 
 down with it upon his naked Back, l ie had wrapp d 
 up in it the Bones of a Man who had been very con¬ 
 fiderable amonglt them, for whofe Memory they had 
 ltill a wonderful Refpect. 1 he Prieit s Giidie, which 
 
170 A TSlew Difc-oVery of 
 
 was made of red and white Wooll, with two Loops 
 at the end, ferv’d him to fatten it, whilft he carry d 
 it up and down in Triumph, calling it Louis Cbinm, 
 which fignifies, as I fince underftand, the Robe of 
 him, who is nam’d the Sun. After they had for fome 
 time us’d my Chafuble as an Ornament to cover the 
 Bones of their Dead, at the celebrating their moft fo- 
 iemn Rites, they made a Prefent of it to a People 
 in Alliance with them, who liv’d 4 or yoo Leagues 
 diftant towards the Weft, but were come in EmbaiEe, 
 and had danc’d the Calumet. 
 
 The Day after my Arrival, Aquifaguetin, who was 
 Head of a Great Family, put me on a Robe which 
 was made of the Skins of the Bellies of wild Bulls: 
 He gave me a fecond, made of ten large Caftor- 
 Skins. Then he fliew’d me fix or feven of his Wives, 
 ( for Poligamy is in fafliion here ; ) he told them, as 
 I afterwards underftood. That they were to efteem 
 me as one of their Sons. After this, he fet a Bark- 
 Dilh before me, in which were Bremes, and other 
 white Fifh, to regale me withal. He gave Orders to 
 thofc about him, to give me the Title that was due 
 to the Rank which I was to hold amongft my new 
 Kindred. 
 
 Farther; this new Father of mine obferving that 
 I could not well rife without two or three to help 
 me, order’d a Stove to be made, into which he caus’d 
 me to enter ttark-naked with four Savages $ who be¬ 
 fore they began to fweat, ty’d their Prepuces about 
 with certain Strings made of the Bark of a white 
 Wqod. This Stove was cover’d with the Skins of 
 wild Bulls, and in it they put Flints and other Stones 
 red-hot. They order’d me by Signs to hold my 
 Breath, time after time, as long as I could, which I 
 did, as well as thofe that were with me. As for the 
 Privy Parts, I had only a Handkerchief to cover 
 me. 
 
 As 
 
a Large Country in America. 171 
 
 As foon as the Savages that were with me had let 
 go their Breath, which they did with a great force, 
 Aquipaguetin began to fing with a loud and thumbing 
 Voice 5 the others feconded him; and laying their 
 Hands on my Body, began to nib it, -and at the fame 
 time to weep bitterly. I was like to fall into a 
 Swoon, and fo was forc’d to quit the Stove. At my 
 coming out, I was fcarce able to take up my Habit 
 of St. Francis to cover me withal, I was fo weak : 
 However, they continu’d to make we fweht thrice a 
 Week, which at laft reltor’d me to my priltine Vi¬ 
 gour, fo that I found my felf as well as ever. 
 
 CHAP. LV. 
 
 the Author like to he famifitd. they admire his Compafs , 
 and an Iron Pot which he had. He makes a Dictionary, 
 and inftruBs them in Points of Religion , in relation to 
 Voligarny and Celibacy. 
 
 M Any a melancholy Day did I pafs amongft 
 thefe Savages. A^uipaguetin, who adopted me, 
 gave me nothing to eat but a few wild Oats five or 
 lix times a Week, and the Roes of dry’d l ilh. All 
 this Trafh the Women boil'd up in an Earthen Pot: 
 Belides, he fent me into a Neighbouring Hie, with 
 his Wives, Children, and Servants, where I was to 
 hough and dig with a Pick-axe and Siiovel, which I 
 had recover’d from thofe that robb’d us. Here we 
 planted Tobacco, and fome European Pulfe, which I 
 brought from thence, and were highly priz’d by 
 
 This Man, to make himlelf the more confiaerable 
 amongft thofe of his Tribe, would often affemble 
 the Ancients of his Village, and in prefence of them, 
 fend for my Compafs, which I had ftill by me. Up¬ 
 on mv turning the Needle with a Key, he took oc- 
 3 cafion 
 
172 A New DifcoVer.y of 
 
 cafion to tell them, and with Truth enough, That 
 by the Guidance of that Machine it was, that we 
 Europeans travell’d the whole World. Nay, being an 
 able Spokefman, he pofiefs'd them farther. That we 
 were Spirits; and that we were capable of bringing 
 things to pad that were altogether out of their power. 
 At the end of his Difcou; fe, which was very pathe- 
 tick, all the Elders wept over me, admiring in me 
 what they could not comprehend. .q| 
 
 I had an li on Pot about three foot round, which 
 bad the Figure of a Lion on it, which during our 
 Voyage ferv’d us to bake our Victuals in. This Vef- 
 fcl was not fo apt to break as our ordinary Kettles, 
 which are more brittle; for which reafon it was, not 
 being likely to meet with Braziers to furnifh us with 
 new upon occaficn, that we took this with us. This Pot 
 the Barbarians durft never fo much as touch, with¬ 
 out covering their Hands firft in fomething of Caftor- 
 Skin. And fo great a Terrour was it to the Women, 
 that they had it hung abroad upon the Bough of a 
 Tree ; for they durft not come or fleep in the Cabin 
 when it was there. 
 
 We would have made a Prefent of it to fome of 
 their Chiefs; but none of them would either accept 
 or make ufe of it, becaufe they thought that there 
 was a Spirit hid within, that would certainly kill 
 them. Thefe People are all of them fubjeri to the 
 like Superftition. Their Jugglers impofe whatever 
 they think fit upon their Belief. ’Twas fome time 
 I fpent amongft ’em, before I could make my felf be 
 underftood. But Hunger beginning to prefs me hard, I 
 fot about making a Dictionary in their Tongue, the 
 which I did by means of their Children, with whom 
 I made my feif as familiar as poftible, to inform my 
 felf by their Prattle. 
 
 When once I had got the Word TahetchiaUn, 
 which fignifies in their Language, How call you this ? 
 I began to bs foon able to talk of fuch things as are 
 
 1110ft 
 
a Large Country in America. 175 
 
 tnoft familiar. This difficulty was hard to furmount 
 at fir ft, becaufe there was no Interpreter that under- 
 ftood both Tongues. For 1 * Example ; If I had a'mind 
 to know what to rim was in their Tongue, I was 
 forc’d to mend my pace, and^ indeed actually run 
 from one end of the Cabin to t’other, till they un- 
 derftoed what I meant, and had told me the Word ; 
 which I prefently fet down in my Dictionary, The 
 Principal of them Qbferving the great Inclination I 
 had to learn their Language, would often tell me. 
 Vat chi foil tgagaB, Spirit, thou takef a great deal ef Pains. 
 Put Black to iVhlte. One day they told me the Names 
 of all the Parts of a Man’s Body. However, I for¬ 
 bore fetting down feveral immodeft Terms, which 
 thefe People fcruple not to ufe every foot. Obferving 
 it, they would often cry Igagahe, tgagahe ; Spirit , Spi¬ 
 rit, fet down that Word as Wed as the ref. 
 
 Thus would they divert themfelves with me, and 
 often fay to one another, When we ask Father Louis 
 any thing, ( for they had heard our Canou-Men call 
 me fo) %e does not anfwcr us. But when he has lookt up¬ 
 on the White, (for they have no word for Paper) he 
 then talks, and makes us underftand his Thoughts. This White 
 thing, wou’d they add, mufi needs be a Spirit, which 
 teaches him to underfland all we [ay. Hence they conclu¬ 
 ded, that neither of the Canou-Men had fo much Wit 
 as my felf, becaufe they could not work upon that which 
 was White. So that this Qualification in me, made them 
 fondly imagine that I could do any thing elfe. 
 
 One day, feeing the Rain fall in fuch abundance, 
 that they fear’d ’twould fpoil their hunting, they or¬ 
 der’d me to bid it ceafe. 1 told them, pointing with 
 my Finger to the Clouds, That He, who was the Great 
 Captain of Heaven, was the foie Mafitr of the Rain and 
 Simfliine ; Toat He was the Great Difpoftr of all the 
 Events that happen to Mortals, or the Univerfe in general j 
 That what they bid me. do, depended not dr mo, but the 
 Firfi Mover, who load (erst me thither ,' to teach them to 
 acknowledge him for their Creatour and Redeemer. 
 
 Obferving 
 
174 
 
 A tlew DifcoVery of 
 
 Obferving me diftinguilh’d from the Canou-Men 
 by my Habit, and having no Notion of Celibacy, 
 they would often ask what Age I was, and what 
 Wives and Children 1 had. Their way of reck’ning 
 their Years is by Winters. Thefe Wretches, void of 
 Light and InftriafHon, were ftrangely fur priz’d at the 
 Anfwer I made them. I told them, pointing to the 
 two Canou-Men, whom I was come three Leagues 
 to vifit, That with us, me Man might marry hut one Wife, 
 and that nothing cott d feporate him again from that One, 
 hut Death : That for my felf I had promis'd the Great Mafkr 
 of Life never to marry any ; but to come and dwell amongjl 
 them, and in ft rtill them in the Commands of the Great M/u 
 fter of Heaven and Earth , and to live poorly amongfl them, 
 far from my envn Country , where all good Things did ahoiml 
 'Tts true, lays one of them, here is little or no Hunt¬ 
 ing in thefe Tarts , and thou fuft’ereft much : But have but 
 patience till Summer, we Jhall then go into the hot Countries, 
 where we jhall kill Bulls enough , and then thou wilt mkt 
 thy [elf fujficient amends for the time thou haft [pent here. 
 I had been well content, had they let me eat as their 
 Children did ; but they hid the Victuals from me, 
 and wou’d rife to eat in the Night, when I knew no¬ 
 thing of it. And although Women have ufually more 
 Compaflion than Men, yet they kept the little FiHi 
 that they had, all for their Children. They conli- 
 der’d me as a Slave whom their Warriours had taken 
 in their Enemy’s Country; and preferr’d the Lives 
 of their Children before any Confideration they 
 had for me: as indeed it was but reafonable they 
 lhou’d. 
 
 However, lomeof the Elders would come often,and 
 mourn over me in a very doleful manner. One wou’d 
 call me Grandfon , another Nephew ; and all would fay 
 to me, I am ftrangely affliBed to Jee thee fo long without 
 eating , and to underftand thou haft been Jo ill treated its 
 thy Journey. Thoje were youngJVarr tours without Courage, 
 who won dTtave kill'd thee , and who robif d thee of what 
 
, a Large Country in America. 175 
 
 thou hadjl. If thou woudft have bad Rohes of Cafiors,, or 
 wild Bulls, to dry thy Tears, we woud have given \m 
 thee ; but thou wouldfi accept of nothing we have pre- 
 Jented thee. 
 
 CHAP. LVI. / 
 
 The mofi confdcrable Captain of the Iffati and Nadoueffi- 
 ans upbraid thofe that took us. Toe Author baptizes the 
 Daughter of Mamenili. 
 
 O Uaficoude, that is to fay. The Viercd Pine, the wi- 
 fett and molt conliderable of all the Chiefs of 
 the Ijj'ati and Nadouejjiam, made it publickly appear, 
 that he was highly incens’d again It the Warriors that 
 had us’d us fo very ill. He laid once in a full Coun¬ 
 cil, That thofe who had robb’d us of our T. hings, 
 were to be compar’d to familh’d Dogs, which having 
 ftole a piece of Flefh out of a Difli, fneak away with 
 it when they have done: That they that had acted 
 much after the fame rate in regard of us, ought to 
 be look’d upon as Dogs, who cou d put fuch unwor¬ 
 thy Affronts upon Men, who brought them Iron, 
 and other Merchandizes, which they had no know¬ 
 ledge of, though they were found to be fo ufeful: 
 That for Himlelf, he fhou’d one day have an oppor¬ 
 tunity of being reveng’d on him, who had been Au¬ 
 thor of all our Sufferings. This Reprimand was wor¬ 
 thy the Chara&er of a Perfon of Ouaficoude s Autho¬ 
 rity : And the Generofity of the Ad ion redounded 
 fince* to the Benefit of the whole Nation, as we fhall 
 fee anon. 
 
 Going one day, as I often did, to vifit the Cabins, 
 I found the Infant-Child of one call’d Mamenfi, very 
 fick. Having a little examin’d the Symptoms of its 
 Diffemper, 1 found the Child paft hopes of Reco¬ 
 very. I defir’d our two Canou*Men to give me their 
 1 Opinions, 
 
176 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 Opinions, telling them, f thought my felf oblig’d irt 
 Confcience to baptize it. Michael Ako cou’d not be 
 prevail’d with to enter the Cabin where the Infant 
 lay. He fa id in excufe. That 1 could not forget 
 what a Rifque we had run once already, of being 
 murder’d by the Savages through my Obllinacy, in 
 perfifting to fay my .Breviary ; whence twas to be 
 fear’d, that what 1 was now going to do, might ex- 
 pofe us again to the fame Danger. 
 
 The Wretch had rather comply with certain Su- 
 perftitions of the Barbarians, than atlill me in fo 
 pious a Defign. Being follow'd then by none but 
 Picard dm Gay, who aiufted as God-father, or rather 
 Witnefs of the Baptifm, I chriften’d the Child, and 
 nam'd it Antonetta, from St. Anthony of Padua • and 
 the rather, becaufe the faid Peter du Gay's Name was 
 Anthony Anguelle , Native of Amiens, and Nephew of 
 Monfieur du Canroi, Pro&or-General of the Pnmon- 
 fires, and fince Abbot of Beaulieu, to whom I pre¬ 
 sented him fafe at our Return from Canada. But to 
 proceed ; for want of more proper Utenfils, I took a 
 wooden Dilh, and having put fome common ordi¬ 
 nary Water into it, fprinkied it upon the Head of 
 the little Savage, pronouncing the following Words, 
 Creature of God, I bavnzji thee in the Name of the Father, 
 of the Son, and of the Holy Ghojl. Then I took half 
 my Altar-Cloth, which I had fnatch’d out of the 
 Hands of a Savage, who had ftole it from me, and 
 fpread it o’er the Body of the Infant. 
 
 The Baptifm was accompany’d with no other Ce¬ 
 remony, becaufe 1 was no longer in a Condition to 
 fay Mafs, my Sacerdotal Robes being all taken from 
 me. I believ’d the Linen could not ferve to a more 
 proper End than a Winding-Sheet to the firft Infant 
 of the Country, that had the Happinefs to be bapti¬ 
 zed. I know not how far its Pains might be alfwagd 
 by Virtue of the Linen, or what Alterations it might 
 
 feel. I am fure I law it laughing the next Day i n 
 
 its 
 
a Large Country in America. i 77 
 
 its Mother’s Arms, who believ’d I had cur'd her 
 Child. However it dy’d fome time after, which af- 
 fetfted me more with Joy than Grief. 
 
 Had this Child recover’d, ’twas much to be fear’d 
 ’twou’d have trod in the Steps of its l ore-fathers, and 
 been over-grown with their infamous Superftitions, 
 for want of a Preacher to inftruct it. For indeed, if 
 thofe of its Nation dwelling in Darknefs and Igno¬ 
 rance, continue to fin without Law , they jhall aljo perijh 
 without Law , as we are told by the Apoftk. Upon 
 thele Confiderations I was glad it had pleas’d God to 
 take this little Chriftian out of the World, left it 
 might have fall’n into Temptations, had it recover d, 
 which might have engag’d it in Errour and Superfti- 
 tion. I have often attributed my Prefervation amidft 
 the greateft Dangers which I have fince run, to the 
 Care I took for its Baptilm. 
 
 CHAP. LVII. 
 
 An Embajfy Cent to the Iflati by the Savages that inhabit 
 to the IVeji of them. Whence if appears that there is no 
 
 fuch thing as the Streights of Anian ; and that Japan 
 is on the fame Continent as Louiliana. 
 
 U Nder the Reign of the Emperour Charles V. the 
 Fathers Reclufe of our Order were the firft that 
 were fent by his Command into New-Mexico ; fince 
 which time there have been of them beyond the Ver- 
 milian-Sea. The mod Remarkable Epoque of the 
 Streishts of jfaiiatiy commences fi om the time of tn<it 
 moft excellent Religious of our Order, Martin de l 'a- 
 lencia, who was the Firft Bilhop of the great City of 
 Mexico. We have fpoke of him elfewhere. 
 
 In procefs of time ’twas believ d that the laid 
 Streights were only imaginary : Many Perfons noted 
 For great Learning, are of this Opinion; and to 
 ° N evince 
 
178 A Keu> DifcoVery of 
 
 evince the Truth of it, I will here fubjoin one evi¬ 
 dent Proof, to thofe which are already produc’d by 
 them : and it is this. During my flay amongft the 
 IjJ'ati and Nadoujfians , there arriv’d four Savages in Em- 
 baflte to thefe People. They had come above five 
 hundred Leagues from the Weft ; and told us by the 
 Interpreters of the IJJati, that they were four Moons 
 upon the Way; for fo it is they call their Months. 
 They added, that their Country was to the Weft, 
 and that we lay to the Eaft in refpetft of them; that 
 they had march’d the whole time without refting, 
 except to deep, or kill Game for their Subfiftence. 
 They allur’d us there was no fuch thing as the 
 Streights of /.man ; and that in their whole Journey 
 they had neither met with, nor pafled over any 
 Great Lake ; by which Phrafe they always mean the 
 Sea, nor any Arm of it. 
 
 They farther inform’d us, that the Nation of the 
 JJJem-poulaes, whofe Lake is down in the Map, and 
 who lie North-Eaft of the IJJati , was not above fix 
 or feven Days Journey from us: That none of the 
 Nations within their Knowledge, who lie to the 
 Weft and North-Weft of them, had any great Lake 
 about their Countries, which were very large, but 
 only Rivers, which coming from the North, run 
 croft the Countries of their Neighbouring Nations, 
 which border on their Confines on the fide of the 
 Great Lake, which in the Language of the Savages 
 is the fame as Sea : That Spirits, and Pigmies, or 
 Men of little Stature, did inhabit there, as they had 
 been inform’d by the People that liv’d farther up 
 than themfelves; and that all the Nations which lie 
 beyond their Country, and thofe which are next to 
 them, do dwell in Meadows and large Fields, where 
 are many wild Bulls and Caftors, which are greyer 
 than thofe of the North, and have their Coat more 
 inclining to Black; with many other wild Beaits, 
 which yield very fine Furr*. 
 
a Large Country in America. 179 
 
 The four Savages of the fa id Em batty allur’d us 
 farther, that there were very few Forelts in the Coun¬ 
 tries through which they pafs’d in their way hither ; 
 infomuch that now and then they were fo put to it 
 for Fuel, that they were forc’d to make Fires of 
 Bull’s Dung, to boil their Victuals with in Earthen- 
 Pots, which they make ufe of, as neither having, 
 nor knowing of any better. 
 
 All thefe Circumftances which I have here infert- 
 ed, make it appear, that there is no fuch thing as 
 the Streights of Anian, as we ufually fee them fet 
 down in Maps. To aflert the Truth of what I fay, 
 I here frankly offer my felf to return into thefe 
 Parts, with fuch Ships as His Britannick Majefty , or 
 their High and MtgbtinejJ'es, the States General, /hall 
 think fit to fend thither, in order to a full Difcovery ; 
 ^n which I have no other Aim but the Glory of God, 
 the Propagation of the Gofpel, InftruCtion of thofe 
 blind and ignorant People, who have been neglect¬ 
 ed for fo many Ages, Improvement of Trade, 
 which, the better ’tis underftood, the more will it 
 daily encreafe between the Subjects of the King of 
 Spain my Matter, and thofe of His Britannick Majefty 
 and States General: And laftly. That Correfpondence 
 and Union fo neceffary to be maintain’d amongft 
 them, that they may live and labour together for the 
 Common Good. I declare, I have no other Deiign ; 
 that my Intentions are fincere and upright, and chat 
 my Defire is to be ferviceable to all Europe ; RefpeCt 
 being firft had, as I am in Duty bound, to my Na¬ 
 tural Prince, the King of England, and the States j 
 to whom I am Angularly engag’d, for the good Re¬ 
 ception they-were pleas’d to honour me with. Others 
 perhaps would have us’d me ill, in return of all my 
 Services, and the many dangerous Voyages I have 
 made, with no other Defign, but to contribute what 
 in me lay, to the Glory of God, the Salvation of 
 Souls, and the Good of all C hriftendom. I know 
 N 2 well 
 
180 A New 'Dtfco'very of 
 
 well what I fay. But to return : Whatever Efforts 
 have been made for many Years paft, by the Evglijh 
 and Dutch, the two Nations of the World, who are 
 the greateft Navigators, to find out a Palfage to Chi¬ 
 na and Jay an, thro’the Frozen-Sea, they have not 
 as yet been able to effeft it. But by the help of my 
 Difcovery, and the Affiftance of God, I doubt not 
 to let all Europe fee that a PafTage may Bill be found 
 thither, and that an eafie one too. For Example; 
 One may be tranfported into the Pacifck-Sea by Ri¬ 
 vers, which are large, and capable of carrying great 
 Veflels, and from thence ’tis eafie to go to China and 
 japan, without crofting the Equino&ial Line. Thofe 
 that read my Relation, and will never fo little exa¬ 
 mine the Maps which are annext to it, will foon ac¬ 
 knowledge the Truth of what I fay. 
 
 CHAP. LVIII. 
 
 The IlTati ajfemhk to hunt the Wild-BulL Refufal of the 
 two Canow-Men to take the Author into their Cation/, 
 in order to go down the River of St. Francis. 
 
 A Fter three Months or thereabouts, fpent very ill 
 amongft the Iffati and Nadoucfjians, thefe Nations 
 aifembl’d to hunt the Wild-Bull; and their Captains 
 having alfign’d them their Stations, that they might 
 not fall in with one another, they feparated them- 
 felves into many Bands. •’ 
 
 Aquipaguctin, the Chief, that had adopted me for 
 his Son, wou’d have carry'd me to the Weft with a- 
 bout 20c Families. But remembring the Reproaches 
 which the great Captain Ouaftcoude had made him. 
 upon the Score of our ill ufage, 1 was apprehenlive 
 left he Ihou’d lay hold of this Opportunity to avenge 
 himfelf on me. I told him therefore, I expected 
 fome Spirits, which in their Language is as much as 
 
a Large Country in America, 18 i 
 
 to fay Europeans, at the River Ouifconfin,, which dif- 
 cha.t i it felfinto the River Mefchafipl ; that ac¬ 
 cording to the Promife made me by the Sieur de la 
 Salle tney wou’d meet me there with Iron, and o- 
 ther Commodities, which as yet they were unac¬ 
 quainted with ; and that if he would think ot turn¬ 
 ing his Expedition that way, I Ihou’d be very glad 
 to accompany him. He heard my Propofal, and 
 was willing to embrace it; but thofe of his band 
 wou d not let him. 
 
 In the beginning of July, 1680. we began to de- 
 feend towards the Souths with the great Captain 
 OuaficottJe , and about 80 Cabins, containing * 3 ° ba- 
 milies and 2 to Warriors. The Savages who had no¬ 
 thing but old Canou’s, cou'd not make me room ; 
 fo that they went four Days Journey lower, to get 
 fome Birchen-Bark, to make more new ones. I made 
 a hole in the Ground, in which I hid my gilt Cha¬ 
 lice, with my Books and Papers, till we fhould re¬ 
 turn from hunting; and took nothing with me but 
 my Breviary, that I might not cumber my ie.t. _ 
 
 I Plac'd my felf upon the Bl ink of tneLake which 
 forms the River of Su Francis, where I held out my 
 Hands to the Canou-Men, as they paft very fwiftly 
 bv, to defire them to take me in. Our two Europeans 
 were in a Canow, which had been given them by 
 the Savages. However, I cou’d not prevail with 
 them to receive me. Michael Mo told me very 
 brutifhly, he had carry'd me long enough. This 
 rough and unhandfome Anfwer made me very me¬ 
 lancholy, when I faw my felf forfaken by thofe ot 
 my own Country and Religion, whom I had always 
 endeavour’d to oblige, as tbemfelves had often ac¬ 
 knowledg’d before Perfons of the farft. QuaUw , where 
 I was us’d to be receiv d with all the Marks 01 ^1 
 ftindion, while themfelves were futfer d to Band and 
 cool their Heels at the Door. 
 
 N % 
 
 But 
 
182 A New Thfcovery of 
 
 But God, who of his Mercy never forfook me 
 throughout all my Adventures* infpir’d two of the 
 Savages with fo much Compaffion, as to take me 
 with them into their Canou, though it were lefs than 
 that of the Europeans. Here I was continually em¬ 
 ploy’d in laving out Water* which foak’d in again as 
 faft as ’twas thrown out, through abundance of little 
 Chinks. This Work was uneafie enough j befides 
 that, I could not keep my felf from being throughly 
 wet. However, ’twas neceflary to have Patience. 
 It might have been properly faid of this little Vefiel, 
 that when a Man was in it, he was in his Coffin; 
 fo crazy was it, and _ ready to break. This fort of 
 Canou’s feldom weigh above yo Pounds, and the 
 lead: Motion of the Body overlets them, at leaft if 
 you have not been long acquainted with this fort of 
 Navigation. 
 
 At Evening when we landed, TicaYd began to ex- 
 cufe himfelf, pretending their Canow was a very 
 rotten one, that it would certainly have burft, had we 
 been all three in it, and that we muff needs have been 
 left by the way. Notwithftanding thefe Excufes, I 
 told them, that being Chriftians, they had not done 
 well to ufe me as they did, efpecially confidering a - 
 mong whom we were : That they had forfaken me 
 very unfeafonably, having left me all alone at above 
 800 Leagues diftance from Canada , allowing for the 
 Reaches we were to make, before we cou’d get thi¬ 
 ther r That if they had receiv’d any good Ufage from 
 the Savages, twas owing to my Ingenuity more than 
 their own, having been capable of letting feveral of 
 them Blood, and otherwife a flitting ’em in their Sick- 
 nefs by my Orvietan, and fome other Medicines 
 which I carefully kept by me. 
 
 To this I added, that by the fame means I had 
 curd others of them that had been bitten by Rattle- 
 Snakes, of which I /hall (peak in my Second Volume. 
 That I rnav’d the Crowns of their Children’s Heads, 
 
 (on 
 
a Large Country in America. 185 
 
 (on which they wear the Hair till eighteen or twen¬ 
 ty) which was no fmall matter, confidering they 
 cou’d not do it themfelves, without putting them to 
 great Pain, by burning off the Hair with hat Stones, 
 which they heat red-hot in the Fire: That hitherto 
 indeed, I had made but little advance in order to 
 their Salvation, by reafon of their natural Stupidity; 
 but that the beft way to take the Soul was to begin 
 with the Body: That, in Ihort I had gain’d their 
 Friendlhip by my Services, and that they would have 
 certainly kill’d us at the time they us'd us fo ill, but 
 that they knew I had certain Remedies about me 
 proper to reftore Health to the Sick ; which they 
 thought was a Treafure never to be valu d as it 
 ought. 
 
 None was with me during this Harangue, but U- 
 card du Gay, who, as he was going to his Cabin, de- 
 fir’d me to pardon him. But the great Captain Ouafi- 
 coudc having heard of this barbarous Action of the 
 two Canow-Men, order’d them to appear before the 
 Council, and told them, that for the future he wou’d 
 take care to remove me out of the reach, not only 
 of /Iquipaguetift, who had fo ofcen attempted my Fife, 
 and yet adopted me for his Son, but likewife from 
 their Company, who, like two Villains, as they were, 
 had fo balely deferred me. Flad I not luckily be¬ 
 thought my lelf to break three Arrows in the pre¬ 
 fence of this brave Chief, the Canow-Men being yet 
 by, he had infallibly caus’d them to have been put to 
 death that very Minute. 1 Hull never forget the 
 
 Humanity of this great Captain, who treated me fo 
 favourably on all Occafions. The two Canow-Men 
 were furpriz’d at what had happen’d, and promis’d 
 me an entire Obedience for the luture. 
 
184 
 
 A New Vifeovery of 
 
 C I I A P. LIX. 
 
 The Savages bah above the Fall of St. Anthony of 
 Padua. They are (h eighten d for Provifions. The 
 Author , with Picardy returns to the River Ouifconfm. 
 
 The Adventures of the Voyage. 
 
 F Our Days after our Departure to hunt the wild 
 Dulls, the Barbarians made a Halt fome eight 
 Leagues above the Fall of St. Anthony of Padua, upon 
 an Eminence, over againft the-River of St. Francis. 
 The Savage Women prepar’d little Docks to build 
 the new Canou's in, againif the return of thofe who 
 were gone for Bark. The Youth in the mean time 
 went out to hunt the Stag, the wild Goat and the 
 CafttSfj but with fo little Succefs, that the Prey i 
 they brought home was fo difproportionable to the 
 Number that were to feed on’t, that we had hardly 
 every one a Mouthful. Happy the Man that once in 
 'lour and twenty Hours cou’d get fo much as a Sup 
 
 of Broatti$ 
 
 __ This put Picard and my felf upon hunting after 
 Goofebefries, and other wild Fruits, which often did 
 us more hanh than good. And I am confident, that 
 had it not been for my Orvietan-Powder, which in 
 a great-nifeafurc conefiul the bad Nutriment which 
 we took in, our Fives bad been in great Danger. 
 Tins extreme Want, made us take a Refolurion, up¬ 
 on Michael Ak/s refuting to accompany us, to ven¬ 
 ture our Dives in a iittie lorry Canou as far as the 
 River Ouifcvfin, which was at no lefs diltancefrom 
 us than M-o Leagues, to fee if the Sieur de Salle had 
 kept his Word with us: For be had promis’d us po- 
 fitiveiy to lend Men with Powder, and Lead, and 
 other Merchandizes, to the place which I have 
 a.ieady mention’d : And' - 'of this he affined me 
 — more 
 
 
a Large Country in America. 18 5 
 more than once , before his departure from the 
 
 The Savages wou’d never have fuffer’d us to have 
 made this Voyage, without one of the three being 
 left with them : And my felf was the Man they 
 pitch’d upon to ftay, by the Advice of the great Cap¬ 
 tain Ouaficoude, whilft the two Canou-Men were at 
 liberty to proceed on their Voyage. But Michael 
 Ako, who was apprehenfive of the many Hardihips he 
 was like to meet with in this Expedition, could never 
 be prevail’d upon to confent to it: So that feeing lie 
 began to relifh the Barbarians way of living, I defir'd 
 their Chief, that I might have leave to accompany 
 Vicar d in his ftead; who accordingly granted my 
 Requeft. 
 
 Our whole Equipage confided of fifteen or twenty 
 Charges of Powder, a Fufil, a little forry Earthen 
 Pot, which the Barbarians gave us, a Knife between 
 us both, and a Garment of Caftor. Thus wei e we 
 equipt for a Voyage of 2fo leagues j bdtour greateft 
 Truft was in Providence. As we were carrying our 
 little Canou to the Fall of St. Anthony of Vadua, we 
 perceiv’d five or fix Savages, who were got there be¬ 
 fore us. One of them was got up into an Oak 
 ' over againft the great Fall of Water, where he was 
 weeping rooft bitterly, having fallen d to one of the 
 Branches of the Tree, a Robe of Caftor, which 
 was white within-fide,and garnilh’d with Porcupine. 
 
 The poor Wretch had offer’d it in Sacrifice to the 
 Fall; w’hich, indeed, of it felf is terrible, and hath 
 fomething in it very aftonilhing: However, it doth 
 not come near that of Niagara. I could hear him 
 fay, as he was addi effing himfelf to the Cafcade, 
 with Tears in his Eyes ; Thou art a Spirit , gran: 
 that Thvfe of my Nation may pafs here without any Dif- 
 aficr ; That we may meet Wi\h a great many wild Balls ; 
 and that■ we may be fo happy as to vnnquijb our Enemy, 
 and take a great many Slaves, whom, when we have made 
 
 them 
 
I 68 A TSUw Difco'Peyy of 
 
 them fuffer according to their Merits , we will brinr hitU 
 and flay in thy Prefence. The Meffenacks ftis To thev 
 call the Nation of the Outtouagami's) have (lain Com 
 of oar Kindred: Grant we may he able to reven/e out 
 [elves upon em for that Affront. ° 
 
 The laft part of his Requeft hapned to be fulfill^ 
 fooner, I believe, than he expe&ed : For as thev re 
 turn d from hunting the wild Bulls, they attack’d' 
 their Enemy, kill d a good many of them, and car- 
 ry d off ffveral Slaves, whom they put to death Te- 
 fore the Fad, after the moil barbarous and inhu- 
 mane manner in the World, as we Hull fee in the 
 Second Volume. Now if after fuch a barbarous Cere¬ 
 mony as I have been defcribing, it happen but once 
 that the Succefs anfwers the Requeft, ’tis fufficient to 
 render them obftinate in their fuperftitious Cu- 
 irom, tho it mifcarry a hundred times for once that 
 it hits. As for the Caftor-Robe, which was thus of- 
 ter d as_ a iort of Sacrifice, one of our Europeans made 
 bold with it at his return, and wou’d have been glad 
 ot having more frequent Opportunities of profiting 
 by their Devotions. 
 
 When we had got about a League below the Fall, 
 ticaratraSs d his Powder-Horn, and remembringhe 
 had left it there, was forc’d to go back and fetch it. 
 At his Return I fhew’d him a huge Serpent, as big as 
 a Man’s Leg, andfeven or eight Foot long. She was 
 working her lelf inlenfibly up a fteep craggy Rock 
 to get at the Swallows Nefts which are there in 
 great Numbers : And at the Bottom of the Moun¬ 
 tain we faw the Feathers of thofe ihe had already 
 devourd. We pelted her fo long with Stones, till at 
 length ihe fell into the River. Her Tongue which 
 was in form of a Lance, was of an extraordinary 
 .ength. Her Hifs might be heard a great way, and 
 the Noife of it feizd us with Horror. Poor Picard 
 ».reamt of her at Night, and was in a great Agony 
 
 all 
 
a targe Country in America. 187 
 
 all the while. He told me, I had done him a fenfi- 
 ble Kindnefs in waking him ; for though he was a 
 Man intrepid enough, yet he was all in a fweat with 
 the fright of his Dream. I have likewife my felt 
 been often difturb’d in my Sleep with the Image of 
 her • fo great an Impreffion did the fight of this 
 Monfter make upon our Spirits. 
 
 As we. were falling down the River MeJcbajipi with 
 extraordinary Swiftnefs, becaufe the Current is very 
 rapid in this place, by reafon ’tis fo near the Fall, we 
 found fome of the Savages of our Band, in the Iflands 
 of the River, where they had fet up their Cabins, 
 and were well provided with Bulls Flefii. They of¬ 
 fer’d us very freely of what they had. But about two 
 Hours after our landing, we thought we Ihould have 
 been all murder’d : Fifteen or fixteen Savages came 
 into the middle of the Place where we were, with 
 their great Clubs in their Hands. The firft thing they 
 did was to over-fet the Cabin of thofe that had invi¬ 
 ted us. Then they took away all their Victuals, and 
 what Bears-Oil they could find in their Bladders, or 
 elfewhere, with which they rubb’d themfelves all over 
 from Head to Foot. 
 
 We took them at firft for Enemies; and Picard 
 was very near flicking the firft that came in with his 
 Sword. At the firft furprize, I began to lay hold of 
 the two Poeket-Piftols that du Gay had left me$ but 
 by good luck I contain’d my felf, or otherwife, with¬ 
 out doubt, there had been an end of us; for their 
 Companions would not have fail’d to have reveng’d 
 upon us the Death of thofe we had kill’d: 
 
 We knew not what thefe Savages were at firft; 
 but it appear’d they were fome of thofe that we had 
 left above at the the Fall of St. Anthony. One of 
 them, who call'd himfelf my Uncle, told me, that 
 thofe who had given us Vi&uals, had done bate- 
 ly to go and foreftal the others in the Chafe ; and 
 that according to the Laws and Cuftoms of their 
 
 Country, 
 
18 8 A New Difctfvery of 
 
 Country, twas lawful for them to plunder them 
 fince they had been the caufe that the Bulls were all 
 run away, before the Nation could get together 
 which was a great Injury to the Publick; For when 
 1 iey J* *n all r mec ’ they make a great Slaughter amongft 
 the Bulls; for they furround them fo on every fide 
 that J cis impoffible for them to elcape. 3 1 
 
 C H A P. LX. 
 
 lie Huntipgffif the Tortoife. The Author's Canon, is car¬ 
 ry d of by a fudden blafi of Wind, which was like 
 to have reduc'd him and his Companion to mat 
 Streigbts . * 
 
 I N about threefcore Leagues rowing, we had kill’d 
 
 taut one wild-Goar, which we did as /he was 
 ci offing the River. The Heats were now grown fo 
 exceffive, that our Provilions would be ipoil’d in 
 twenty four Hours. This put us upon Hunting the 
 Torroile j but ’ewas with much difficulty that we 
 could take any ; for being very quick of hearing, 
 they would throw themfelves into the Water upon 
 the leaft noife. However, we took one at laft, which 
 was much larger than any we had feen : His Shell 
 was thin, and the Flelh very fat. Whilft I was con¬ 
 triving to cut off his Head, he had like to have bedn 
 before-hand with me,, by fnapping of my Finger with 
 Ins Teeth, which are very (harp. 
 
 • Whilft we were managing this Affair, we had hai¬ 
 led our Canou a-ftioar ; but. it ieems a fudden and 
 violent Blaft.of Wind had carry d her off again in¬ 
 to the middle of the River. Picard was gone into 
 the Meadows, to fee if he could kill a wild Bull; 
 lo tn,u I was left alone with the Canou. This ob- 
 hg d me to throw my Habit as faff as I could over the 
 r oitoiie, whidvLhad ttu;ft’d # Tor fear he ffiould get 
 
 away. 
 
a Ldrge Country in America: 189 
 
 away. I likewife laid feveral Stones upon my Clothes, 
 the better tofecure him. When I had done, I-fell 
 a fwimming after our Canow, which went very fall 
 down the River, being carry’d by a very quick Stream, 
 becaufe ’twas juft at the turning of a Point. After 
 I had recover’d it with a great deal of difficulty, I 
 durft not get into it, for fear of being overfet, and 
 wetting the Woollen Coverlet that was in it, which 
 I us’d to fleep on, and the reft of our little Equi¬ 
 page: For which reafon I was forc’d to pulh it fome- 
 times before me, and fometimes tug it after me, till 
 by little and little I gain’d the Shoar, a fmall half 
 quarter of a League below the Place where I had left 
 the Tortoife. 
 
 Picard returning from the Chace, where he had 
 kill’d nothing ; and finding only my Habit upon the 
 Tortoife, but no Canow, had reafon to think that 
 fome Savage or other having- found me alone, had 
 kill’d me. In great fufpence, he return’d into the 
 Meadows, to look about if he could fee any ix>dy. 
 In the mean time, I had made what hafte I cou’d 
 up the River with my Canow ; and had no fooner, 
 taken up my Clothes, but I ’fpy’d a Drove of fixty 
 Bulls and Cows, with their Calves, eroding the Ri¬ 
 ver, towards the Land on the South-lide. I purfu’d 
 them in my Canow, and fet up as great a Cry as I 
 could, to give Picard notice of it. He made up to 
 the Noife, and had time enough to get into the Ca¬ 
 now, whilft a Dog which we had with us, by his 
 Barking, had drove them to a Bay in the Ifles of the 
 River. When we were prepared, the Dbg drove 
 them from thence; and as they pafs’d by us, Picard 
 kill’d one of them with his Fufil, having lodg’d the 
 Bullet in his Head. Having dragg’d it to the fide 
 of the River, it prov’d to be a Cow , that weigh’d 
 about five or fix hundred’weight. The Bulls have 
 more Flefli, and weigh heavier ; but becaufe we 
 could not get it quite co Land, we contented our 
 
 felves 
 
190 A Hew DifcoVery of 
 
 felves with cutting the beft Pieces, and left the reft in 
 the Water. m ' 
 
 ’Twas almoft now eight and forty Hours face 
 we eat laft; fo that we fell a kindling a Fire asfaftas 
 we could, which we made of the Wood the River 
 had thrown upon the Sands,* and as faft as Pi tfi / 
 skinn’d it, I put the Pieces of FIefh into our little 
 earthen Pot to boil. We eat of it with that greedi 
 nefs. that both of us were fick; fo that we were 
 oblig d to hide our felves in an Ifland, where we 
 relted two Days for the recovery of our Health by 
 the help of my Orvietan , which was a great Benefit 
 to us during the whole Voyage. Whilft I was fetch¬ 
 ing the Pieces of Flefh which Picard gave me, I went 
 backward and forward very often clofe by a Rattle- 
 Snake, leven or eight Foot long, without perceiving 
 him, as he lay wrapt afleep in the Sun. I told Pi¬ 
 card of it, who came and kill’d him with our Oar 
 and afterwards threw him into the River. 
 
 Fo be Ihort, we could not charge our felves with 
 much Provifions, becaufe of the fmallnefs of our 
 Canow; befides that, the exceffive Heat tainted it 
 prefently, fo that 'twou’d fwarm with Worms in an 
 inftant. For thefe Reafons we were foon in the 
 fame condition; and when we embark’d in the 
 Morning, we knew not whether we fhou’d have 
 any thing to eat at Night. Never had we more rea- 
 fon to admire the Goodnefs of Providence, than 
 during this Voyage. ’Twasnot every Day we met 
 with any Game, nor when we did, were we fure 
 to kill it. 
 
 . The Eagles, which are to be feen in abundance 
 in thefe vaft Countries, will fometimes drop aBreme, 
 a large Carp, or fome other Filh, as they are car¬ 
 rying them to their Nefts in their Talons, to feed 
 their young. One day we Fpy’d an Otter, which 
 was feeding on a great Filh upon the Bank of the 
 River; which Filh had upon its Head a fort of 
 
 Beak 
 
a Large Country in America. 191 
 
 Beak about five Inches broad, and a Foot and a 
 half long. As foon as Picard ’fpy’d it, he cry’d out 
 he faw the Devil between the Claws of the Ot¬ 
 ter. This Surprize was not fo great, but that we 
 made bold to feed heartily upon it. The Flefii 
 of it was good ; and we nam’d it the Sturgeon with 
 the long Beak. 
 
 CHAP. LXI. ' 
 
 We continue our Courfe in fearch of the River Ouifconfin. 
 Aquipaguetin finds us, and gets thither before us. 
 We Jubfijl meerly by Providence. 
 
 N Otwithftanding we had row’d fo many Leagues, 
 yet cou’d we not find the River of Ouifcon¬ 
 fin : This made us believe that it was Bill at a 
 great diBance from us; when behold Aquipaguetin , 
 whom we believ’d to be above 200 Leagues off, 
 appear’d all on a fudden, with ten Warriors with 
 him, towards the middle of July, 1680. We thought 
 at firft he came to kill us, becaufe we had quitted 
 him, though ’twere by the confent of the other 
 Savages: But he gave us fome wild Oats, with a 
 Piece of good Bull’s Flelh; and ask’d us if we 
 had found the Europeans who were to meet us with 
 their Merchandife. Our Anfwer not fatisfying him, 
 he was refolv’d to go to Ouifconfin himfelf j but 
 when he came there, found no body. He return’d 
 at the end of three Days, as we were Bill purfu- 
 ing our Voyage, being refolv’d to acquit our felves 
 fully of the Promife which we had made the Sieur 
 de Salle, * to come thither and meet thofe that he 
 fhould fend. 
 
 When Aquipaguetin firB appear’d at his return, 
 Picard was gone to Hunt in the Meads, and 
 my felf remain’d alone in a little; Cabin, which 
 
i p 2, A Hew Vifcovery of 
 
 we had fet up under our Coverlet, which one of 
 the Savages had return'd me, tp fhade us from the 
 Sun-beams, which were very icorching at this Sea- 
 fon. Acjuipaguetin feeing me alone, came up to me 
 with his Giub in his Hand: ^immediately laid hold 
 of mv two Pocket-Piflois and a Knife, which Picard 
 had recover’d out of the Hands of the Barbarians. 
 I had no mind to kill the Man that had adopted 
 me, but only frighten him, and keep him from 
 murdering me, in cafe that were his intent. 
 
 Jtjuipaguetin began to reprimand meforexpofingmy 
 fdf in the manner I did to the Infults of their Ene¬ 
 mies; and that at leaft I ought to have kept the o- 
 ther fide of the River. He would have carry’d me 
 with him, telling me, that he had 500 Hunters with 
 him, who kill’d more Game than thofe that I was 
 engag’d with. And probably it had been more advi- 
 feable for me to have lollow’d his Advice, than to 
 profecute my Voyage any farther. However, our 
 Refolution then was, to continue our courfe towards 
 the River Ouifconfin 5 where when we came, we found 
 none of the Men the Sieur de la Salle had promis’d 
 to fend us. Picard and my felf had like to have 
 perifh’d on a thoufand different Occafions, as we 
 came down the River: And now we found our 
 felves oblig’d to go up it again, which could not be 
 done without repeating the fame Hazards, and other 
 Difficulties not to be imagin’d.. 
 
a Large Country in America, tpj 
 
 CHAP. LXII. 
 
 The great Streights lifbich the Author and bis Companion are 
 reduc'd to in their Voyage. They at lafi meet again with 
 the Savages at their return from Hunting ; 
 
 P ICARD , who had been very ill us’d by the 
 Savages, had rather venture all than go up the 
 River with Aqutpaguetm. Six Charges of Powder 
 was all that we had left, which oblig’d us to huf- 
 band it as well as we could ; wherefore we divided 
 it into twenty, to fhoot only for the future at Tur¬ 
 tles or Wild Pigeons. When thefe alfb were fpent, 
 we had recourfe to three Hooks, which we baited 
 with fome (linking Barbel that an Eagle hapncd to 
 drop. We took nothing the two firft Days, and 
 were deftirute of all means of fubfiftence, This 
 made us, you mud think, betake our felves to 
 Prayers with greater fervency than ever. And yet 
 Ticard , ’midlt all our Misfortunes, could not for¬ 
 bear telling me, that he (hould pray to God with a 
 much better Heart if his Belly were full. 
 
 I comforted both him and my felf as well as I 
 could, and defir’d him to row with all the force he 
 had left, to fee if we could catch a Tortoife. The 
 next Morning, having row’d the bell part of the 
 Night, we found a Tortoife, which was no bigger 
 than an ordinary Plate. We went to boiling him 
 the fame Minute on the Fire that we had kindled. 
 We devour’d it fo hallilyj that I did not obferve 
 that I cut the Gall, which made my Mouth as 
 bitter as it felf j but I ran immediately and gargled 
 my Throat, and fo fell to’t again, with the fame 
 eagernefs as before. 
 
 Notwithftanding our famiflfd Condition, we got 
 at lait to the River of Buds: Here we call our Hooks^ 
 which we baited with a whire Filh that an Eagle 
 
 o _ iU 
 
ip4 A Km DifcoVery of 
 
 had let fall. God , who never abandons thofe that 
 truft in him, fuccour’d us very vifibly on this occa- 
 fion ; for we had fcarce fini/h’d our Prayers towards 
 ten at Night, when Picardy who heard the Noife, 
 quitted his Devotion, .and ran to the Hooks, where 
 he found two Barbels hung, which were lo large, 
 that I was forc’d to help him to get them out of 
 the Water. We did not ftand to ftudy what Sauce 
 we fliould make for thefe monftrous Filh, which 
 weigh’d above twenty five pound both; but ha¬ 
 ving cut them to pieces, broil’d ’em on the Coals. 
 Boil them we could not, our little Earthen Pot be¬ 
 ing unhappily broke fome time before. 
 
 When we had fatisfy’d our Appetite, and return’d 
 our Thanks to Him, whofe Providence had fo fea- 
 fonably reliev’d us, we heard a noife about two in 
 the Morning, upon the Bank of the River of Bulls , 
 where we then were. After the Who-goes-there? we 
 heard the Anfwer was, Tepatom Nika , and the Word 
 Nikanagi ; which is as much as to fay , Friends, all 
 is well. I told Picard, that by the Language I be¬ 
 liev’d them to be Illinois, or Outouagamis, who are Ene¬ 
 mies of the Iffati, or NadoueJJdns. But the Moon 
 ftiining very bright, and the Day beginning to ap¬ 
 pear, I perceiv’d ’twas the Savage Mamemifi , whofe 
 Infant-Daughter I Baptiz’d, when Picard a (lifted as 
 Godfather, or Witnefs. Fie knew us again pre- 
 fently ; and being juft come from Hunting, where 
 they had had plenty of Game, he gave us what Vi¬ 
 ctuals we plfas’d ; and inform’d us, that all thofe of 
 his ^Nation were coming down the “River of Bid’s, 
 which difcharges it fell' into the Mcfcbajhi, having 
 their Wives and Children with them. 
 
 What he laid was true; for the Savages, with 
 whom Michael Ako had ftaid behind., were all de- 
 fcenchng the River of Bulls with their Fleet of Ca- 
 nows well ltor’d with Provifions. A^uipcgsteim by 
 the way had acquainted thofe of Ids Nation, how 
 
 Picard 
 

 a Large Country in America. 195 
 
 Vicard and my felf had expos’d our felves in our 
 Voyage to Oufconfin , and what great Hazards we 
 had ran. The Chiefs of the Savages gave us to un¬ 
 derhand, that they were Very well fatisfi’d with 
 what we had done : But all them reproach’d 
 Michael Ako for a Bafe Fellow, who had refus’d to 
 accompany us for fear of being familh’d by the way. 
 Picard too, but that I did what I could to hinder 
 it, would have us’d him ill before all the Company, 
 fo incens d was he againft him , for his want of 
 Courage and Affection. 
 
 CHAP. I.XIII. 
 
 , v , 
 
 The SavageWomen hide their Vrovifions up-and-down in pri¬ 
 vate Holes . They go down the River again a fecondtime* 
 Addrejsof the Savages. Bravery of one of the Savages a 
 
 > i C ' 'J 
 
 T H E Savage Women being come to the 
 Mouth of the River of Bulls , hid their Provi¬ 
 sions up-and-down the little Iflands that are there, 
 and in hollow Places under-ground. Thefe People 
 have a way to preferve their Meat thus, without Salt, 
 as we fhall fee hereafter. We fell down the River 
 a fecond time,in company of a multitude of Canow’s, 
 of which I have already fpoke, Hunting all the way as 
 we went,and were got a matter of fourlcore Leagues, 
 The Savages from time to time hid their Canows 
 in the little Ifland, or in the Reeds upon the Bank of 
 the River , and went feven or eight Leagues up the 
 Country into the Meadows beyond the Mountains, 
 where at feveral times they kill’d between an hundred 
 and fixfcore Cows and Bulls. Whilft they are at the 
 Chafe, they always leave fomeOld Men on the top of 
 the Mountains, to fee if they can difeover the Enemy. 
 
 All this while I had a Savage under my Cure, 
 who ufually call’d me Brother : He had run A 
 
 O z s—s. Thofrt 
 
1 9 6 A New 'D'tfcoyery of 
 
 Thorn very deep into his Foot, and I was then put¬ 
 ting a -Plaifter on it, when on a fudden the Alarm 
 was taken in our Camp. Two hundred Archers 
 immediately ran to fee what was the matter; and 
 the generous Savage , whofe Foot I had laid open, 
 in order to get out the Thorn, which was very 
 deep, fprung likewife from me on a fudden, and 
 ran as taft as the beft, that he might not lofe his 
 fhare in the Adion. But inftead of the Enemy, 
 they could fee nothing but about an hundred Stags, 
 which were running away asfaft as they could. My 
 poor Patient had much ado to recover the Camp. All 
 the while the Alarm lafted, the Women and Maids 
 kept Tinging in a very fad and melancholy Tone. 
 
 Picard being gone to his Hoft, I was left alone 
 with on c Otchimhi ; but after the fecond Hunting, 
 I was forc’d to carry an Qld Woman with me in 
 my Canow, who was above fourfeore: For all that, 
 Ihe help’d me to row , and with her Oar would 
 now-and-then pat two or three little Children , that 
 lay and difturb d us in the middle of our Canovy. 
 The Men were very kind to me ; but for all that, 
 ’twas neceflary to make a Court to the Women ; 
 for the Victuals were all in their Cuftody, who de¬ 
 liver’d every one his Mcfs. This I did by fhaving 
 now-and-then the Crowns of their Children’s Heads, 
 who wear their Hair fhom not unlike our Monks.They 
 let it grow till they are fifteen, fixteen, or eighteen 
 Years old, as well on the top of the Head,’ as elfe- 
 where ; but at that Age, their Parents take it off, 
 by burning it with flat ftones made red-hot in the 
 Fire : So that the Women thought themfelves migh¬ 
 tily beholding to me for /having their Children, be- 
 caufe I took off the Hair without pain. 
 
 We had again another Alarm in our Camp: 
 The Old Me i who had their Station on the top 
 of the Mountains, fent to give notice that they 
 h&Ldefcry’d fome Warriors from afar. The Ai- 
 
\ 
 
 a Large Country in AmPfira. 197 
 
 chers ran as hard as they could drive, towards the 
 Place where the Enemy was faid to appear, every 
 one endeavouring to be firft in the Action. But 
 after all this Noife, they brought nothing back with 
 them but two Women of their own Nation, who 
 were come to acquaint them that one of their Par¬ 
 ties being gone a Hunting, towards the end of the 
 Upper Lake, had light upon five Spirits, by which 
 Name it is they call the Europeans. They added, 
 That thefe Spirits had talk’d to ’em , by means of 
 fome of their Nation who had feen us, and had 
 been Slaves among!! the Outouagamis and lrwjuoefe, 
 whofe Language they underftood : That they had 
 alfo defir’d them to condud them to the Place 
 where we were , becaufe they Ihould be very glad 
 to know whether we were Enghfls, Dutch, Spaniards, 
 or Canadians : And farther. That they could not 
 imagine how we had been able to penetrate fo far 
 up into the Country among!! thefe People. 
 
 I muft obferve hereupon , that there are certain 
 Perfons at Canada , who have got the Management 
 of all Affairs there into their hands, as I have elle- 
 where faid. Thefe People being very angry, that 
 we had been aforehand with them in our Difco- 
 veries, had fent Men after us to (hare in the Glory 
 of the Adion : For they hoped by our Means 
 to get a Knowledge of the Nations which we 
 had feen , in order to Trade thither, as foon as 
 they Ihould have a Pretence of fending us back to 
 Europe, • • lib woig li Jbf 
 
 ilmorlj rrlguorlJ norno W sth lub 0 8 : siH 
 iL> ; tb ' ivjiifi bl sm m smbtorieU . v - 
 
 O ; CHAP. 
 
 o at rmiJA lerhonK nkte bsr! aW 
 rtobcid tHrlj btrf 1 *fiw ?/ f- f -r 
 03bon jv'jg 01 ini! t antfnnuot/. 'fo 
 fft'oil noi n £ W Ofn b / , 
 
i $>8 A New Difcovery of 
 
 C H A P. LXIV. 
 
 Arrival of the Sicur Du Luth in our Camp. He de¬ 
 fires us to return with him and his Followers to the 
 Country of the Iffati and Nadoueffians. The Author 
 cafi my Coverlet over a dead Man. The Savages are 
 fleas'’d at it. 
 
 T H E 28 th of July i 1680. we began to afcend 
 the River MeJchafipi the third time. The 
 Savages, who had made a grand Hunt with good Suc¬ 
 cess , were refolv’d to return home to their own 
 V Wages, and prefs’d us to go with them; promifing 
 to conduct us as far as the Nations that inhabited at 
 the End of the Upper-Lake. They faid they had 
 a defign to make an Alliance with thofe People 
 through our Means. The Sieur du Luth was arriv’d 
 there from Canada , accompany'd with five Men, 
 whofe Equipage was half Soldier, half Mer¬ 
 chant. ^ 
 
 They came up to us in company with the two 
 Savage-Women an hundred and twenty Leagues, 
 or thereabouts, from the Country of the Barbarians, 
 that had taken us. They defir’d us, becaufe we had 
 fome knowledge of the Language of the IJJ'ati, to ac¬ 
 company them , back to the Villages of thofe Peo¬ 
 ple. I readily agreed to their requeft, efpecially 
 when I underftood that they had not receiv’d the 
 Sacraments in the whole two Years and a half that 
 they had been out upon their Voyage. The Sieur 
 du Luth, who pafs’d for their Captain , was over¬ 
 joy’d to fee me, and told me as a Secret, that thofe 
 who had lent him, wou’d mifs of their aim, as he 
 wou d let me know more at leifure. And obfer- 
 ving how I Ihav’d the Crowns of the Young Sava¬ 
 ges, he order’d them to be told I was his eldeft 
 Brother. All 
 
 /^\ 
 
a Large Country in America. 199 
 
 All this made the Savages treat me better than 
 ever, arid furnilh me very plentifully with Provili¬ 
 ons. I apply’d my felf alfo more than ever to the 
 means of their Salvation; and ’tis true they hearken’d 
 to me attentively enough. Rut then, to make any 
 progrefs, one muft live whole Years amongft them, 
 they are fo ignorant, and grounded in Superfti- 
 tion. 
 
 The Sieur du Luth was charm’d at the fight of the 
 Fall of St. Anthony of Padua, which was - the Name we 
 had given it, and in all appearance will remain with 
 it. I allb Ihew’d him the craggy Rock, where the 
 monftrous Serpent was climbing up to devour the 
 young Swallows in their Neffs; and recounted 
 to him the Horror that feiz’d Picard , at the Image 
 his Fancy fram’d of that terrible Animal in his 
 Dream. 
 
 I muft here obferve, that feeing my felf at Liberty 
 to (ay my Office after the Arrival of the Sieur du Luth , 
 to be more exa<ft in the Service, I thought I wou’d 
 ask him the Day of the Month : Fie told me as 
 freely, he cou’d not fatisfy me in that Point, for he 
 had no Notion of it left. Upon this I recounted to 
 him the ill ufage which we receiv’d at the Hands 
 of the Barbarians , at their firft taking us, which pro¬ 
 ceeded many times fo far as to threaten our Lives j 
 that therefore he ought not to be furpriz’d,if through 
 the Terrors and Apprehenfions which I had lain fo 
 long under, I had forgot even the Day of the 
 Week. 
 
 We arriv’d at the Villages of the IJfati on the 14 tb 
 of Augtift , 1680. where I found my Chalice very 
 fafe, with the Books and Papers which I had hid 
 under-ground , in prefence ot the Savages them- 
 felves. Thefe Wretches had never had fo much as 
 a drought to meddle with them, being fearful and 
 fuperftitious in relation to Spirits, and believing 
 there is Witchcraft in every thing they cannot ap- 
 
 O 4 prehend. 
 
2po A T^efp Difcoverjaf & 
 
 prehend. The Tobacco which I planted before our 
 Departure, was half choak’d with Grafs. But the 
 Cabbage, and other things which I had fown, were 
 of a prodigious growth. The Stalks of thePurflain 
 were as big as Reeds;: But the Savages were 
 afraid fo much as to tafte them. 
 
 A little after our return, the Savages invited us 
 to a great Feaft after , their own fa/hion. There 
 were above an hundred and twenty Men at it na¬ 
 ked. Ounftcoude , the firft Captain of the Nation, 
 and Kinfman of the Deceas’d, whofe dead Body I 
 Cover’d, when they brought him back to the Vil¬ 
 lage in a Ganow, brought me fome dry’d Flefh and 
 wild Oats in a difli of Bark, which he fet before me 
 upon a Bull’s Hide, whiten’d, and garni th’d: with 
 Porcupine Skins on the one fide, and curl’d Wooll 
 on the other. . yu .3 ■ >.• 
 
 After 1 had eat, this Chief put the fame Rohe 
 on my Head, and cover'd my Face with it, laying 
 (. with a loud Voice before-all that were prefent. He 
 whofe dead Body thou didfi coyer, covers thine 'while alive. 
 He bat carr/d the Ty dings of it to the Country of Souls, (for 
 thefe People believe the Tranfmigration of Souls: ) 
 What thou didfi in refpcll of the Dead, is highly to he 
 efieem d i .jUl the Nation applauds and thanks thee for it. 
 
 After this he gently reproach'd the Sieur du Luth, 
 that he did not cover the Dead, as I had done. To 
 which the Sieur defir’d me to anfwer. That he never 
 cover’d the Bodies of any butfuch Captainsas himfelf. 
 -To which the Savage anfwer’d, Father Louis (for fo he 
 heard the Europeans call' me ). is a greater Captain than 
 thou: [fa Boh (fpeaking of my BrocardChafubIe,which 
 they had taken from me* and was afterwardsfent as 
 a Prefen t to our Allies,who liv’d three Moons diftance 
 from this Country ) was finer than what thou wearefi. 
 v When thefe Savages fpeak.of a Journey of three 
 or more Moons, they mean Months. They march 
 well,, and will. travd fifteen Leagues a Day. By 
 ••"> which 
 
a Large Country in America. 2 01 
 
 which the Reader may Judge what an extent of 
 Ground they can go in- three Month. 
 
 w 231 art 
 
 C H A Pi LXV. 
 
 .medi efUi o) 2c rfoi 
 
 The Author takes his leave, of' the Savages to return to 
 •>,. Canada. rPi A Savage is fain by ha Chief, for ,ulvi- 
 fing to kill us.'. Difpute between the Situr du Luth 
 and the Author, about the Sacrif.ce of Barbarians. 
 
 so 
 
 T Owards the end of September, feeing we had 
 no Tools proper to build a Houle to dwell in 
 during the Winter, amongft thefe People.? and con- 
 fidering that we were deltitute of Provifions necef- 
 fary to fubfift there, as our Defign was at firft to 
 have done, we refolv'd to let them underftand, that 
 to procure them lion, and other Merchandizes, 
 which were ufeful for them, ’twas convenient that 
 we Ihou'd return to Canada, and that at a certain 
 time which we Ihou'd agree upon between us, they 
 Ihou’d come half the way with their Furrs, and we 
 the other half with our European Commodities; 
 That they might let two of their Warriors go with 
 us, whom we wou’d carry into our Country, and 
 likewile bring back again the next Year to the place 
 appointed for meeting, from whence they might 
 proceed to acquaint them of our return, in order 
 to their meeting us with their Effe&s. 
 
 Upon this they held a great Council, to conlider 
 whether they Ihou'd ferid fonse of their Nation with 
 us or no. Two there were who were for it, and 
 offer'd themfelves to be -the Men: But they alter’d 
 their Opinion the. Diy.tif our Departure, alledging 
 for a Reafon, That we wfere obliged to pals through 
 many Nations who were, thfeir fworn Enemies, and 
 wou’d be fure to feize their Men, and take them 
 ogt of our Hands, either to burn them, or put diem 
 
 otherwife 
 
lOl 
 
 A New Di/coVery of , 
 
 other wife to Death by exquifite Torments, and that 
 without our being able to hinder it, being fo few 
 in Number as we were. 
 
 I anfwer’d, That all thofe People, whom they 
 were afraid of, were our Friends and Allies, and 
 that in confideration of us, they wou’d forbear to 
 injure any of their Nation that were with us. 
 Thefe Barbarians want no Wit ; on the contrary, 
 their Natural Parts are extraordinary. They told 
 us in return, that fincfe we were to pafs through 
 thefe People, who were their fworn Enemies, we 
 » Ihou’d do well to deftroy them, at whofe Hands 
 they had receiv’d fo many Injuries; that then 
 their Men Ihou’d go and return with us to fetch 
 them Iron, and other Commodities which they 
 wanted , and wou’d gladly treat with us about. 
 From whence we may gather, that thefe Bar¬ 
 barians are full of Relentment, and Thoughts of 
 Revenge, Difpofitions not altogether lb well pre¬ 
 par’d , to receive the meek Dodrine of the Go- 
 fpel. 
 
 In fine, OuaJicouJe their Chief Captain, having 
 confented to our Return, in a full Council, gave 
 us fome Bufhels of Wild-Oats, for our Subfiftence 
 by the way, having firft regal’d us in the bell man¬ 
 ner he cou’d, after their falhion. We have already 
 obferv’d, that thefe Oats are better and more whol- 
 (ome then Rice. After this, with a Pencil, he 
 mark’d down on a Sheet of Paper, which I had 
 left, the Courfe that we were to keep for four hun¬ 
 dred Leagues together. In Ihort, this natural Geo¬ 
 grapher defcrib’d our Way fo exadly, that this Chart 
 lerv’d us as well as my Compafs cou’d have done. 
 For by obferving it pun&ually, we arriv’d at the 
 Place which we defign’d, without lofing our way in 
 the leaft. 
 
 All things being ready, we difpos’d our felves to 
 depart, being eight Europeans of us in all. We put 
 
 our 
 
a Large Country in Amenca. 203 
 
 our felves into two Canows, and took our leaves 
 of our Friends, with a Volly of our Men’s Fufils, 
 which put them into a terrible Fright. We fell 
 down the River of St. Franca , and then that of the 
 Mefcbafipi. Two of our Men, without faying any 
 thing, had taken down two Robes of Caftor, from 
 before the Fall of St. Anthony of Padua , where the 
 Barbarians had hung them upon a Tree as a lort of 
 Sacrifice. Hereupon arofe a Difpute between the 
 Sieur du Luth and my felf. I commended what 
 they had done, laying. The Barbarians might judge 
 by it , that we difapprcv'd their Superjtitiom On the 
 contrary, the Sieur du Lutb maintain’d, That they 
 ought to have let the things alone in that place 
 where they were, for that the Savages wou’d not 
 fail to revenge the Affront which we had put up¬ 
 on them by this Action , and that it was to be 
 fear’d left they fhou’d purfue and infult us by the 
 Way. 
 
 I own he had fome grounds for what he laid, 
 and that he argu’d according to the Rules of Hu¬ 
 mane Prudence. But the two Men anfwer’d him 
 bluntly, that the things fitted them, and therefore 
 they Ihou’d not trouble their Heads about the Sa¬ 
 vages , nor their Superftitions. The Sieur du Lutb 
 fell into fo violent a Paffion at thefe Words, that he 
 had like to have ftruck the Fellow that Ipake them ; 
 but I got between, and reconcil’d the Matter: For 
 Picard and Michael Ako began to fide with thole 
 that had taken away the things in queftion, which 
 might have prov’d of ill confequence. I affur’d the 
 Sieur du Luth , that the Savages durft not hurt us, 
 for that I was perfuaded their Grand Captain Oua- 
 Jicoude wou’d always make our Caufe his own, and 
 that we might rely on his Word , and the great 
 Credit he had amongft thofe of his Nation. Thus 
 the Bufinefs was peaceably made up, and we failed 
 
 down 
 
204 A K ew vfawy °f 
 
 down the River together as good Friends as ever, 
 hunting the Wild-Beafts as we went. 
 
 When we were got almoft as far as the River 
 OuifconQn, we made a ftop, to fmoak after the man¬ 
 ner of the Country, the Flefli of the Bulls which we 
 had kill’d by the Way: Daring our flay here, for 
 the Reafon aforefaid, three Savage's of the fame Na¬ 
 tion , which we had lately left , came up to us in 
 their Canow, to acquaint us that their Grand Cap¬ 
 tain O uajicouile having learnt that another Chief of 
 the fame Nation had a Defign to purfue and mur¬ 
 der us, he came into the Cabin where the faid 
 Captain and his Affociates were confulting about 
 it, and gave him a Blow on the Head with fo much 
 Fury, that his Brains flew out upon thofe that were 
 prelent at the Confult, refolving by this means ef- 
 feftually to prevent the Execution of his pernicious 
 Defign. We regal’d the three Savages for their 
 good News very nobly, having plenty of Provifions 
 at that time. w™ sm Id Joj 
 
 The Sieur Ju Lath, as foon as the Savages were 
 gone, fell into as great a Paflion as before , and 
 leem’d very apprehenfive left they fnou d lull pur¬ 
 fue and fet upon us in our Voyage. He woud 
 have carri’d Matters farther, but that he found our 
 Men wou’d not bate him an Ace, and were not m an 
 Humour to be bulli’d. I took upon me to moderate 
 the Matter once more, and pacifi’d them in the 
 End, by alluring them that God woud not leave 
 us in Diftrefs, provided we put our Trjjlt in him, 
 and that he was able to deliver us from all our Ene- 
 nodw 3uS : d-iuoid orb narfo do! 
 
 pqiup3 wo 
 ievig bad ; .n 
 
 '^001^93073 bnc qrrftbnsivl 
 :>di 1 2£ ibs b’uow yarir am bic 
 03 msrij lo 
 
 .•a ' «9§r.vcd sflj 39?rn 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 0—0 
 
a, Large Country in America. 105 
 
 C H A P. LXVI. 
 
 The Sieur du Luth tr ip a great Confiernatson at the Ap¬ 
 pearance of a Fleet of the Savages ± •who furprized us 
 1 a before we were got into the River Ouifconfip. 
 
 
 T H E Sieur du Luth had reafon to believe that 
 the three Savages but now mention’d were 
 really Spies fent to obferve our Aftions; for indeed 
 they knew that we had taken away the Robes of 
 Caftor from before the Fall of St. Anthony. He 
 cou’d not forego his Fears, but told me, we fliould 
 ferve the Fellow that did it but right, if we Ihou’d 
 force him to carry them back, and leave them in 
 the place where he found them. I forelaw Difcord 
 wou’d be our Deftruftion, and fo made my felf Me¬ 
 diator of the Peace once more. I appeas’d the 
 Fray , by remonftrating, That God, who had pre- 
 ferv d us hitherto in the greateft Dangers, wou’d 
 have a more peculiar Care of us on this Occa- 
 fion, becaufe the Man's Action was good in it 
 felf. B 
 
 Two days after, all our Provifions being drefs’d, 
 and fit to keep, we prepar’d to depart: But the Sieur 
 du Luth was mightily lurpriz’d when he perceiv’d a 
 Fleet of an hundred and forty Canows, carrying 
 about an hundred and fifty Men, bearing down di- 
 reftly upon us. Our 2> Mens. Gonfternation was, no 
 lefs than the Sieur’s: But when they faw me take 
 out from amongft our Equipage, a Calumet of 
 Peace which the IJfatt had given us as a Pledge of 
 their Friendlhip and Protection, they took Heart, 
 and told me they wou’d aft as I Ihou’d direft. 
 
 I order’d two of them to embark with me in a 
 Canow, to meet the Savages: But the Sieur defir’d 
 me to take a third to row, that by Handing in the 
 
 middle 
 
io6 A ISlew T)ftcoVery of 
 
 middle of the Canow, I might the better fliow the 
 Pipe of Peace, which I carry’d in my hand, to ap- 
 peafe the Barbarians, whofe Language I underftood 
 indifferently well. The other four of our Men I 
 left with the Sieur du Lutb, and told them, in cafe 
 any of the young Warriors fhou’d Land, and come 
 up to them, they fhou’d by no means difcourfe or be 
 familiar with them $ but that they fhould keep their 
 Pofts with their Arms ready fixt. Having given 
 thefe Orders, I went into my Canow, to the 
 Barbarians who were a coming down the River in 
 theirs. 
 
 Seeing no Chief amongft them , I call’d out as 
 loud as 1 cou’d, Ouajicoude, Ouaficcude , repeating his 
 Name feveral times. At laft I perceiv’d him rowing 
 up towards me : All this while none of his People 
 had affronted us, which I look’d upon as a good 
 Omen. I conceal’d my Reed of Peace, the better 
 to let them fee how much I rely’d upon their Word. 
 Soon after we landed , and entred the Cabin where 
 the Sieur du Luth was, who wou’d have embrac’d their 
 Captain. Here we muft obferve, that ’tis not the 
 Cuftom of the Savages to embrace after the manner 
 of the French. I told the Sieur du Luth thait he need 
 only prefent him with a piece of the beft boyl’d 
 Meat that he had, and that in cafe he eat of it, we 
 were fafe. 
 
 It hapned according to our Wifh ; all the reft of 
 the Captains of this little Army came to Vifit us. 
 It coft our Folks nothing but a few Pipes of Martimo- 
 Tobacco, which thefe People are paflionately fond 
 of, though their own be ftronger, more agreeable, 
 and of a much better Scent. Thus the Barbarians 
 were very civil to us, without ever mentioning the 
 Robes of Caftor. The Chief Ouaficoude advis’d me 
 to prefent fome Pieces of Martjnico Tobacco to the 
 Chief siqaipaguetm , who had adopted me for his 
 This Civility had ftrange effeds upon the 
 
 Bar' 
 
a Large Country in America. 207 
 
 Barbarians, who went off Ihouting, and repeating 
 the Word Louis , which, as we laid, fignifies the 
 Sun: So that I mull fay without Vanity, my Name 
 will be as it were immortal amongft thefe People, 
 by reafon of its jumping fo accidentally with that 
 01 the Sun. 
 
 a-* --■ ■ — - 
 
 CHAP. LXVII. 
 
 The Author s Voyage from the Mouth of the River Ouif- 
 confin, to the great Bay of the Puans. 
 
 T H E Savages having left us to go and War up¬ 
 on the. Mefforites, Mahoras, Illinois , and other 
 Nations, which inhabit towards the lower part of 
 the River Mefchafipi, and are irreconcilable Enemies 
 to the People of the North ; the Sieur du Lutb, who 
 upon many Occafions approv’d himfelf to be much 
 my Friend, cou’d not forbear telling our People, 
 that I had all the realon in the World to believe 
 that thg Viceroy of Canada wou’d give me a very 
 kind Reception, in cafe we cou’d arrive there be¬ 
 fore Winter ; and that he wiih’d with all his heart 
 he had been among lo many different Nations as 
 my f?lf. 
 
 As we went up the River Ouifconjin, we found it 
 was as large as that of the Illinois, which is naviga¬ 
 ble for large Veflels above an hundred Leagues. We 
 cou’d not fufficiently admire the Extent of thofe 
 vaft Countries, and the Charming Lands through 
 which we pafs’d, which lye all untill’d. The cruel 
 Wars which thefe Nations have one with another, 
 are the yaufe that they have" not People enough to 
 cultivate them.. And the more bloody Wars which 
 have rag’d fo long in all parts of Europe, have hin¬ 
 der'd the fending Chrifcian Colonies to fettle there. 
 However, I mult needs fay, that the poorer fort of 
 
 _ our 
 
io8 A NewVifcoVery of 
 
 our Countrymen wou’d do well to think of it, and 
 go and plant themfelves in this fine Country, where 
 for a little Pains in tilling the Earth , they wou’d 
 live happier, and fubfift much better than they do 
 here. I have feen Lands there, which wou’d yield 
 three Crops in a Year: And the Air is incompara¬ 
 bly more fweet and temperate than in Holland. 
 
 After we had row’d about feventy Leagues upon 
 the River Onifconfin, we came to a Place where we 
 were forc’d to carry our Canow for half a League, 
 which Ouaficoude had fet down in his Chart. We lay 
 at this place all Night, and left Marks of our ha¬ 
 ving been there, by the Croffes which we cut on 
 <he Barks of the Tree?. Next Day, having earn’d 
 our Canows and the reft of our little Equipage over 
 this Piece of Land, we entred into a River, which 
 makes almoft as many Meanders as that of the Illi¬ 
 nois doth at its Rife: For after fix Hours rowing, 
 which we did very faft, we found our felves, not- 
 withftanding all the Pains we had been at, over- 
 againft the Place where we embark’d. One of our 
 Men muft needs (hoot at a Bird flying, which over- 
 fet his Canow ; but by good luck he was within 
 
 his depth. .... 
 
 We were forc’d to break feveral Sluces which the 
 Caftors had made for our Canows to pafs; other- 
 wife we cou’d not have continued our Way, orcar- 
 ri’d our things to embark them again above thefe 
 SluccSi 
 
 Thefe Creatures make them with fo much Art, 
 that Man cannot equal it. We ihallfpeak of them 
 in our Second Volume. We found feveral or there 
 Ponds, or Stops of Water, which thefe Creatures 
 make with Pieces of Wood, like a Gaufey. _ 
 
 After this we pafs’d over four Lakes, which are 
 all made by this River. Here formerly dwelt the 
 Miamis ; but now the Maskouttns , Kikavous, and 
 Qutoiwamts , who fow their Indian Wheat here, on 
 6 * which 
 
a Large Country in America. 209 
 
 which they chiefly fubfift. We made fome Broath 
 of the Water of a certain Fall, which they call Ka- 
 kalm ; becaufe the Savages come often hither to eafe 
 themfelves, and lye on their Backs, with their Faces 
 ex 'd to the Sun. 
 
 Thus having made more than Four hundred 
 Leagues by Water fince our departure from the 
 Country of the IJJati and Nadoueffdns, we arriv’d at 
 la It at the great Bay of the Tuans, which makes 
 phrt of the Lake of the tilittoit. 
 
 CHAP. LXVlII. 
 
 The Author and his Company pay fome time among/} thi 
 PuanS. The Original of the Name. They celebrated 
 Mafs here, and wintered at Miffilimakinak. > 
 
 W E found many Canadians in this Bay of the 
 Tuans. The Nation that inhabits here, ’is fa 
 call’d,becaufe formerly they dwelt in certain Marfhy 
 Places, full of ftinking Waters, lituate on the Souths 
 Sea. But being drove out thence by their Enemy, 
 they came and fettled in this Bay, which is to the 
 Eaft of the Illinois. The Canadians were come hither 
 to Trade with the People of this Bay, contrary to 
 an Order of the Viceroy. They had ftill a little of 
 the Wine left, which they brought with them, and 
 kept in a Pewter Flagon. I made ufe of it for 
 Mafs.. Till now, I had nothing but a Chalice, and 
 a Marble Altar, which was pretty light, and very 
 handfomly engrav’d : But het e by good Fortune T 
 met with the Sacerdotal Robes too. Some Illmois 
 who had happily efcap’d their Enemies the Iroquefr, 
 who had attack’d and almoft ddtroy’d them lines 
 my Voyage, and the time that I had been a Slave 
 amonglr die Barbarians, bad brought with them the 
 Ornaments of the Chapel of Father* ZkwbHtt Mam* 
 
 P 
 
210 
 
 A New Dlfco'Very of 
 
 Ire, whom we had left among the Illinois. Some of 
 thefe, I fay, who were efcap’d to the Place where 
 we were, deliver’d' me up all the Ornaments, of the 
 Chapel, except the Chalice. They promis’d to get 
 me that too for a little Tobacco, which I was to 
 give them; and were as good as their Word, for 
 they brought it me fome few Days after. 
 
 ’Twas more than nine Months fince I had cele¬ 
 brated the Sacrament of theMafs, for want of Wine. 
 We might indeed have done it in our Voyage, had 
 we had Veflels proper to keep Wine in: But we 
 cou’d not charge our Canow with fuch, being very 
 unfit to carry things of Burden. ’Tis true, we met 
 with Grapes in many Places through which we 
 pafs’d, and had made fome Wine too, which we 
 put into Gourds; but it fail'd us whilft we were 
 among the Illinois, as I have elfewhere obferv’d. As 
 for the reft, I had (till fome Wafers by me, which 
 were as good as ever, having been kept in a Steel- 
 Box fiiut very clofe. 
 
 We flay’d two Days at tire Bay of the Tuans-, 
 where we fung Te Datm, and my felf laid &lafs, and 
 Preach'd. Our Men prepar’d themfelves for the Holy 
 Sacrament, which we receiv’d, in order to render 
 our Thanks to God, who had preferv’d us amidft 
 the many Dangers we had run, the Difficulties we 
 had furmounted, and Monfters we had overcome. 
 
 One of our Canow-Men truck’d a Fufil with a 
 Savage for a Canow larger than our own, in which, 
 after an hundred Leagues rowing, having coafted 
 all along the great Bay of the tturns , We arriv’d at 
 MiJJUimnktn.sk, in the Lake of Huron, where we were 
 forc’d to Winter: For our Way lying fiill North, 
 we fhou’d infallibly have periffi d amongft the Ice 
 and Snow, had we proceeded any further. 
 
 By the Courfe We were oblig’d to take, we were 
 Bill about Four hundred Leagues from Canada. 
 Among!! thefe People, I met, to my no little Satii- 
 
a Large Country in America. 1 11 
 
 fatftion, Father Fierfon, ajefuit, who is a Son of the 
 King’s Receiver for the Town of Aeth in Hainault . 
 He was come hither to learn their Language, and 
 fpoke it then paffabjy well. This Rdig’ w/who re¬ 
 tain’d ftill the free and open Humour of his Coun¬ 
 trymen, had made himfelf belov'd by his obliging 
 Behaviour, and feem’d to be an utter Enemy of Ca¬ 
 balling aud Intrigues, having a candid Spirit, gene¬ 
 rous and fincere. In a word, He appear a to me to 
 be fuch as every good Chriftian ought to be. The 
 Reader may judge how agreeably I pafs’d the Winter 
 in fuch good Company,after the Miferies and Fatigues 
 f had undergone in the Courfe of our Difcoveries. 
 
 To make the bed: ufe of my time that I cou’d, I 
 Preach’d all the Holy-days and Sundays in Advent 
 and Lent, for the Edification of our Men, and other 
 Canadians, who were come four or five Leagues out 
 of their Country, to Trade for Furrs amongft thefo 
 Savages: From whence we may obferve, that there 
 are tome whom I {hall forbear to name, who not- 
 withftanding all their pretended Aufteriries, are yet 
 no lefs covetous of the Things of this World, than 
 the moft Secular Perfon in it. The Oattaonatis and 
 the Hurons wou’d often a lit ft at our Ceremonies in 
 a Church cover’d with Ruflies and a few Boards, 
 which the Canadians had built here: But they came 
 more out of Curiolity than any Defign to conform 
 themfelves to the Rules of our Holy Religion. 
 
 The latter of thefe Savages would tell us, fpeak- 
 ing of our Difcoveries, That themfelves were but 
 Men ; but for us Europeans , we muft needs be Spi¬ 
 rits : That if they had gone lb far up amongft ftrange 
 Nations as we had done, they /liquid have been fure 
 to have been kill’d by them without Merc)'; whereas 
 we pafs’d every where without danger, and knew 
 how to procure the Friendship of all we met. 
 
 During the Winter, ve broke Holes in the Ice 
 of the Lake Huron, and'try rhea ns of feveral large 
 
 P 3. Stones, 
 
V 
 
 til A Ketv Difcoyery of 
 
 Stones, funk our Nets fomc times twenty, fometimes 
 twenty five Fathom under Water to catch Fifli,which 
 we did in great abundance. We took Salmon- 
 Trouts, which often weigh’d from forty to fifty 
 pounds. Thefe made our Indian Wheat go down 
 the better, which was our ordinary Diet. Our Be¬ 
 verage was nothing but Broth made of Whiteings, 
 which we drank hot j becaufe as it cools it turns to 
 Jelly, as if it had been made of Veal. 
 
 During our (lay here. Father Pierfon and I would 
 often divert our felves on the Ice, where we skated 
 on the Lake as they do in Holland. I had learn ’d 
 this Slight when I was at Ghent , from whence to 
 BruJJels one riiay run in three Hours with abundance 
 of Pleafure when the Canal is frozen. Tis the 
 ufual Diverfion' with which the Inhabitants of thefe 
 two Cities entertain themfelves during the Winter, 
 by favour of the Ice. , 
 
 It mud be allow d, without reflecting on any 
 other Order, That thofe of St. France are very pro¬ 
 per for die fetling of Colonies. They make a drift 
 Vow of Poverty, and have a Property in nothing as 
 their own: They enjoy only a Ample Ufe of Things 
 necefiary to Life. Thofe that give us any Move¬ 
 ables, continue dill to be the owners of them, and 
 may take them again at pleafure. ’Tis this Poverty 
 which is recommended to us by many Popes.; but 
 above all by our Rule, which is the only one I find 
 “inferred in the Canon-Law. 
 
 What pafs’d at MtjJUmakbiak during this Winter, 
 is a Proof of what I fay. Two and forty Canadi¬ 
 ans, who were come hither upon the account of the- 
 Trade which they drive here with the Savages, de- 
 fir’d me to prefent them jvith the Cord of St. Francis.- 
 1 compil’d with their Requed,* and each time I ck- 
 liver d a Cord, made a, (mall Harangue by way of 
 Exhortation to the Perfon receiving it,, and then 
 _ adbeiated him to the Prayers of the Order. They. 
 
 would 
 
a Large Country in America. 2 r 3 
 
 would have kept me with them , and made me a 
 Settlement, where from time to time they might 
 have refort to me. They promis’d me moreover, 
 fince I would accept of no Furrs, that they would 
 prevail with the Savages to farnifh out my Subfiftence 
 in the heft manner wliich could be expeded for the 
 Country. But becaufe the greateft part of them 
 that made me this Offer, Traded into thefe Parts 
 without permiffion, I gave them to underhand, 
 That the Common Good of our Difcoveries, ought 
 to be preferr’d before their private Advantages} fo 
 defir’d them toexcufe me,' and permit me to return 
 to Canada for a more Publick Good. 
 
 C H A P. LXIX. 
 
 The Author s Departure from Miffilimakinak. He pejjes 
 two great Lakes. 1 he taking of a Great Bear. ornt 
 Particulars -relating to the FUjb of that Rcafi. 
 
 W E parted from MiJjilitnaJibiak. in £rf/2<r-Week, 
 
 i68x. and for twelve or thirteen Leagues 
 together, were oblig'd to draw our Provifions and 
 Canow’s after ns over the Ice , up the Lake Huron , 
 the lides of which continu’d Bill froze five or fix 
 Leagues broad. The Ice being broke, we embark’d, 
 after die Solemnity of the Quafimodo, which we had 
 an opportunity to celebrate, having by good Fortune 
 met with a little Wine, which a Canadian had 
 brought with him, and ferv’d us all the reft of our 
 Voyage. After we had row'd a hundred Leagues 
 all along the lides of the Lake Huron , we pafs’d the 
 Streights, which are thirty Leagues through, and the 
 Lake of St. Claire , which is in the middle: Thence 
 we arriv'd at the Lake Erie , or of the Cat , where 
 we ftai’d fome time to kill Sturgeon, which come 
 here in great numbers, to call their Spawn on the 
 
 P 5 fid@ 
 
2 14 ^ T{ew Vifcoyery of 
 
 fide of the Lake. We took nothing but the Belly 
 of the Filh, which is the molt delicious part, and 
 
 threw away the reft. 
 
 This Place afforded alfo plenty of Venifon and 
 Fowl. As we were (landing in the Lake, upon a 
 large Point of Land which runs it felf very far into 
 the Water, we perceiv'd a Bear in it as far as we 
 could fee. We could, not imagine how this Crea¬ 
 ture get there; ’twas very improbable that he fhou’d 
 fwim from one fide to t’other, that was thirty or 
 forty Leagues over. It hapned to be very calm; 
 and fo two of our Men leaving us on the Point, 
 put off to attack the Bear, that was near a quarter 
 of a League out in the Lake. They made two Shot 
 at him one after another, otherwife the Beall bad 
 certainly' . funk them. As fcon as they had fir’d, 
 they were forc’d to fheer off as fall as they could to 
 charge again; which when drey had done, they re¬ 
 turn’d to the Attack. The Bear was forc'd to Hand 
 it; and it coft them no lefs than feven Shot before 
 they could com pals him. 
 
 As they were endeavouring to get him aboard, 
 they were like to have been over-fet; which if they 
 had, they mull have been infallibly loll: All they 
 could do was to fallen him to the Bar that is in the 
 middle bf the Canow, and fo drag him on Shoar; 
 which they did at lall with much ado, and great 
 hazard of their Lives. We had all the leifure that 
 was jequifite for the dreffing and ordering him, fo 
 as to make him keep ; and in the mean time took 
 out his Intrails, and having cleans’d and boil’d 
 them >, eat heartily of them. Tbefe are as good a 
 Dilh as thole of our Sucking-Pigs in Europe. His 
 Fldh felv’d us the reft of our Voyage, which we 
 ufually eat with lean Goats-flelh, becaufe it is too 
 fat to eat by it felf: So that we liv’d for an hun¬ 
 dred Leagues upon the Game that we kill’d in this 
 Place. I 
 
 £ 
 
 CHAP. 
 
a Large Country in America. 11 j 
 
 CHAP. LXX. 
 
 The Meeting of the Author ami a certain Captain of the 
 Outtaoua&s, nam'd Talon by the Intendant of that 
 Name , upon the Lake of Erie; who recounts to him 
 many Adventures of his Family and Nation. Fur¬ 
 ther Obfervat'ums upon the Great Fall or Cataracts of 
 . Niagara. 1 
 
 T Here was a certain Captain of the Outtaouatts , 
 to whom the Intendant Talon gave his own 
 Name, whilft he was at Quebec. He us’d to come 
 often to that City with thofe of his Nation, who 
 brought Furrs, thither: We were ftrangely furpriz’d 
 at the fight of this Man, whom we found almoft fa- 
 mifh’d and more like a Skeleton than a living Man. 
 He told us the Name of Talon would be loon extinft 
 in this Country, fince he refolv’d not to furvive the 
 Lois of fix of his Family who had been llarved to 
 Death. He added, That the Filhery and Chace had 
 both fail’d this Year, which was the occafion of this 
 fad Difafter. 
 
 He told us moreover, That though th elrocpuefe were 
 not in War with his Nation, yet had they taken 
 and carri’d into Slavery an entire Family of Twelve 
 Souls. He begg’d very earneftly of me, that I would 
 ufe my utmoli Endeavours to have them releas’d, if 
 they were yet alive; and gave me two Necklaces of 
 Black and White Porcelain, that I might be fure not 
 to neglect a Bufinefs which he laid fo much to heart. 
 I can rely upon thee , Bare-foott, ( for fo they always 
 call’d us) and am confident that the Iroquefe will hearken 
 to thy Reafons fiooner than any ones. Thou didft often au- 
 vife them at their Councils , which were held then at the 
 Fort of Katarockoui, where thou hafi caus'd a great Ca¬ 
 bin to be built. Had I been at my Tillage when thou cant ft 
 through it , I would have done all that 1 could to have kept 
 
 P 4 tbee t 
 
2 i 6 A Nety Vifcovcry of 
 
 thee, infeed of the_ Black Coat (fo they call the Jefu- 
 ites) -which was there. When the poor Captain had 
 done fpeaking, I foiemnly promis'd him to ufe my 
 utmoft Interelt with the fofuefe, for the releafement 
 orchis Friends. 
 
 After we had row’d above an hundred and forty 
 Leagues upon the Lake Erie, by reafon of the many 
 Windings of the Bays and Creeks which we were 
 forc’d to coaft, we pafs’d by the Great Fall of Nia- 
 gara, and Ipent half a Day in confidering the Won¬ 
 ders ol that prodigious : Caicade. 
 i 1 c0llW not conceive how it came to pafs, that 
 four great Lakes, the leali of which is ^.oo Leagues 
 in compafs, fhould empty themfelves one into ano¬ 
 ther, and then all centre and difehargd thernlelvcs at 
 this Great Fall, and yet not drown good parr of A- 
 mencii. What is yet more furprizing, the Ground 
 Bom the Mouth of the Lake Erie, down to die Great 
 Fall, appears almoft level- and flat. Tif fcarce dif- 
 cernable that there is the leaft Rife or Fail for fix 
 Leagues together: The more than ordinary fwifrnefs 
 of the Stream, is the only thing drat makes it beob- 
 ferv d. And that which makes it yet the ftranger is, 
 That for two Leagues together below the Fall, to¬ 
 wards the l ake Ontario, or Envttr.ac, the Lands are as 
 level as they are above it towards the Lake of Erie. 
 
 Our Surprife was ftill greater, when we obferv’d 
 there were no Mountains within two good Leagues 
 °i this Cafcade; -and yet the vaft quantity of Water 
 which is difoharg d by thefe four frefli Seas, flops or 
 centers here-, and fo fails, above fix hundred Foot 
 down into a Gulph, which one cannot look upon 
 wunout Horror. Two other great Out-lets,or Falls of 
 v* ater,which are on the two fides of a fmall doping 
 Ifland, which is in the mid ft, fall gently and with¬ 
 out noi.e, and fo glide away quietly enough : But 
 when this prodigious quantity of Water, of which 
 4 ipeak, comes to fall, there is fuch a din* and fuch 
 
 a noif'e. 
 
a Large Country in America. 117 
 
 a notfe, that is more deafning than the loudeft 
 Thunder, 
 
 The rebounding of thefe: Waters is fo great, that 
 a fort of Cloud arifes from the Foam of it, which 
 are feen hanging over this Abyfs even at Noon day, 
 when the Shn is at its heigh th. In the midit of Sum¬ 
 mer, when the Weather is hotteft, they arife above 
 the tailed: Firrs, and ocher great Trees, which grow 
 in the {looping Ifland which make the two Falls of 
 Waters' that I fpoke of. 
 
 Iwi/h’d an hundred times that fomebody had been 
 with us, who could have deferib d the Wonders of 
 this prodigious frightful Fall, fo as to give the Rea¬ 
 der a juft and natural Idea of it, fuch as might fa- 
 tisfy him, and create in him an Admiration of this 
 Prodigy of Nature as great as it deferves. In the 
 mean time, accept the following Draught, fuch as 
 it is ; in which however I have endeavour'd to give 
 the curious Reader as juft an Image of it as 1 could. 
 
 We muft call to mind what I ohferv’d of it in 
 the beginning of my Voyage, which is to be feen 
 in the Seventh Chapter of this Book. From the 
 Mouth of the Lake Erie to the Great Fall, are 
 reckon'd fix Leagues, as I have faid, which is the 
 continuation of the Great River of St. Lawrence , 
 / which arifes out of the four Lakes above-mention’d. 
 The River, you muft needs think, is very rapid for 
 thefe fix Leagues, becaufe of the vaft Difcharge of 
 Waters which fall into it out of the faid Lakes. The 
 Lands, which lie on both lides of it to the Eaft and 
 Weft, are ail level from the Lake Erie to the Great 
 Fall. Its Banks are not ft cep ; on the contrary, 
 the Water is almoft always level with the Land. 
 ’Tis certain, that the Ground towards the Fall is 
 lower, by the more chan ordinary fwiftnefs of the 
 Stream ; and yet ’tis not perceivable to the Eye for 
 the fix Leagues abovefaid. 
 
 After it has run thus violently for fix Leagues, it 
 
 meets 
 
218 A New Difco'very of 
 
 meets with a (mail Hoping Ifland, about half a 
 quarter of a League long, and near three hundred 
 Foot broad, as well as one can guefs by the Eye • for 
 it is impoflible to come at it in a Canow of Bark 
 the Waters run with thar force. The Ifle is fall of 
 Cedar and Firr j but the Land of it lies no higher 
 than that on the Banks of the River. It feems to 
 be all level, even as far as the two great Cafcades 
 that make the Main Fall. n rbtriw 
 
 The two hides of the Channels, which are. made 
 by the Ifle, and run on both (ides of it, overflow 
 almolt the very Surface of the Earth of the laid 
 Ifie, as well as the Land that lies on the Banks of 
 the Kiverto the Eaft and Weft, as it runs South and 
 LvOith. But we muft obferve , that at the end of 
 the Ifle, on the (ide of the two great Falls, there is 
 a Hooping Rock which reaches as far as the Great 
 liulph 1, into which the (aid Waters fall • and yet 
 the Rock is not at all wetted by the two Cafcades 
 which fall on both (ides, becaufe the two Torrents 
 which are made by the Ifle, throw tbemlelves with 
 a prodigious force, one towards the Eaft, and the 
 other towards the Weft, from off the end of 
 the Ifle, where the Great Fall of all is. 
 
 After then thefe two Torrents have thus run by 
 the two (ides of the Ifle, they eaft their Waters all 
 of a fudden down into the Gulph by two Great 
 falls ; which Waters are pufh’d fo violently on by 
 their own Weight, and fo fuftain’d by the fwiftnefs 
 of the motion, that they don’t wet the Rock in the 
 leaft. And here it is that they tumble down into an 
 Abyfs above 600 Foot in depth. 
 
 The Waters that flow on the (ide of the Eaft, 
 c;o not throw themfelves with that violence as thofe 
 that fall on the Weft. The reafon is, becaufe the 
 Rock at the end of the Ifland, rifes fomething more 
 on this (ide, than it does on the Weft; and fo the 
 Waters being fupported by it fomewhat longer than 
 ^ they 
 
a Large Country in America. 219 
 
 they are on the other fide, are carry’d the fmoother 
 off: But on the Weft the Rock Hooping more, the 
 Waters, for want of a Support, become the looner 
 broke, and fall with the greater precipitation. 
 Another reafon is, the Lands that lie on the Weft 
 are lower than thofe that lie on the Eaft. We.alfo 
 obferv’d, that the Waters of the Fall, that is to the 
 W'eft, made a fort of a fquare Figure as they fell, 
 which made a third Cafcade, lefs than the other 
 two, which fell betwixt the South and North. 
 
 And becaufe there is a rifing Ground which lies 
 before thofe two Cafcades to the North, the Gulph 
 is much larger there than to the Eaft. Moreover, we 
 muft obferve, that from the rifing Ground that lies 
 over againft the two lali Falls which are on the Weft 
 of the main Fall, one may go down as far as the 
 bottom of this terrible Gulph. The Author of 
 this Difcovery was down there, the more narrowly 
 to obferve the Fall of thefe prodigious Cafcades. 
 From hence we could difcover a Spot of Ground, 
 which lay under the Fall of Water which is to the 
 Eaft, big enough for four Coaches to drive a breaft 
 without being wet; but becaufe the Ground, which 
 is to the Eaft of the Hoping Rock, where the firft 
 Fall empties it felf into the Gulph , is very fteep, 
 and almoft perpendicular, 'tis impoflible for a Man 
 to get down on that fide, into the Place where the; 
 four Coaches may go a-breaft, or to make his way 
 through fuch a quantity of Water as falls towards the 
 Gulph: So that : tis very probable, that to this dry 
 Place it is that the Rattle-Snakes retire, by certain 
 Paffages which they find under ground.. . 
 
 From the end then of this Ifland it is, that thefe 
 two Great Falls of Waters, as alfo the third but now 
 mention’d, throw themfelves, after a moft furpri- 
 zing manner, down into a dreadful Gulph fix hun¬ 
 dred Foot and more in depth. I have already faid, 
 that the Waters which Difchatge themfelves at the 
 
 Cafcade 
 
2*0 
 
 A TS[ew Vifco^ery of 
 
 Cafcade to the Eaft, fall with lefler force j whereas 
 rhofe to the Weft tumble all at once, making two 
 Cafcades$ one moderate, the other very violent and 
 ftrong , which at laft make a kind of Crochet, 
 orfquare Figure, falling-from South to North, and 
 Weft to Eaft. After this, they rejoin the Waters 
 of the other Cafcade that falls to the Eaft, and fo 
 tumble down altogether, though unequally, into 
 the Gulph, with all the violence that can be ima¬ 
 gin’d, from a Fall of fix hundred Foot, which makes 
 the mod Beautiful, and at the fame time molt 
 Frightful Cafcade in the World. 
 
 After thefs Waters have thus difchargld them- 
 felves into this dreadful Gulph, they begin to refume 
 their Courfe, and continue the great River or 
 St. Lawnnee for two Leagues, as far as the three 
 Mountains which are on the Eaft of the River, and 
 the great Rock which is on the Weft, and lifts it 
 felf three Fathoms above the Waters, or thereabouts. 
 The Gulph-in to which thefe Waters are dilcharg’d, 
 continues it lelf thus two Leagues together, between 
 a Chain of Rocks, flowing with a prodigious Tor¬ 
 rent, which is bridled and kept in by the Rocks that 
 lie on each fide of the River. 
 
 Into this Gulph it is, that thefe feveral Cafcades 
 empty themfelves, with a violence equal to the 
 height from whence they fall, and the quantity of 
 Waters, which the 1 }' difeharge. Hence arife thofe 
 deafning Sounds, that dreadful roaring and bellow¬ 
 ing of the Waters which drown the loudeft Thun¬ 
 der , as alio the perpetual Mifts that hang over the 
 Gmlph, and rife above the talleft Pines that are in the 
 Cede Ifle fo often mention’d. After a Channel is 
 agfiin made at the bottom of this dreadful Fall by 
 the Chain of Rocks, and fill’d by that prodigious 
 •quantity of Waters which are continually falling, 
 the River of St. Laurence refumes its Courfe: But 
 i vith that violence, and his Waters beat againft the 
 
 Rocks 
 
a Large Country in America, m 
 
 Rocks with fo prodigious a force, that ’tis impofli- 
 ble to pafs even in a Canow of Bark, though in one 
 of them a Man may venture fafe enough upon the 
 moft rapid Streams, by keeping clofe to the Shoar. 
 
 Thefe Rocks, as alfo the prodigious Torrent,, 
 laft for two Leagues j that is, from the great Fall, 
 to the three Mountains and great Rock : But then 
 it begins infenfibly to abate, and the Land to be 
 again almoft on a level with the Water ; and fo it 
 continues as far as the Lake Ontario , or Frontenac. 
 
 When one Bands near the Fall, and looks down 
 into this moft dreadful Gulph , one is feized with 
 Horror, and the Head turns round, lb that one 
 cannot look long or ftedfoftly upon it. But this vaft 
 Deluge beginning infenfibly to abate, and even to 
 fall to nothing about the three Mountains, the Wa¬ 
 ters of the River St. Lawrence begin to glide more 
 gently along, and to be almoft upon a level with the 
 Lands; fo that it becomes navigable again, as far as 
 the Lake Frontenac, over which we pafs to come to the 
 New Canal, which is made by the difcharge of its 
 Waters. Then we enter again upon the River 
 St. Lawrence, which not long after makes that which 
 they call the Long Fall, an hundred Leagues from 
 Ntagara. .• ■ ) y. V 
 
 [.have often heard talk of the Catara&s of the 
 Nile, which make the People deaf that live near 
 them. I know not whether the Irmuefe, who for¬ 
 merly inhabited near this Fall, and liv’d upon the 
 Beatts which from time to time are horn down by 
 the violence of its Torrent, withdrew themfelves 
 from its Neighbourhood , left they ihould likewile 
 become deaf; or out of the continual fear they 
 were in of Rattle-Snakes, which areveiv common 
 in this Place during the great Heats, and lodge in 
 Holes all along the Rocks as for as the Mountains, 
 which lie two Leagues lower. 
 
 Be it as itwiiL thefe dangerous Creatures are to 
 
 be 
 
2 11 A New Difcovery of 
 
 be met with as far as the Lake Frontenac, on the 
 South-fide ; but becaufe they are never to be feen 
 but in the midft of Summer, and then only when 
 the Heats are exceffive , they are not fo afraid of 
 them here as elfcwhere. However, ’tis reasonable 
 to prefume, that the horrid noife of the Fall, and 
 the fear of thefe poifonous Serpents, might oblige 
 the Savages to feek out a more commodious Habi¬ 
 tation. 
 
 Having carry’d-our Canow from the Great Fall of 
 Niagara , as far as the three Mountains, which are 
 two Leagues below, in all which Way we perceiv’d 
 never a Snake ; we proceeded in pur Voyage, and 
 arriv d at the Lake of Ontario , or Frontenac. 
 
 ~ --—- j -~- -- 
 
 ; CHAP. LXXI. 
 
 The Author fets out from the Fort which is at the 
 Mouth of the River Niagara, and obliges she Iroquefe 
 ajfembi'd in Council, to deliver up the Slaves they hai 
 made of the Outtaoua<3s. 
 
 W E met none of the Savages in the little 
 Village of the Iro/juefe, which is near the 
 Mouth of the River Niagara ; for they fow there 
 but very little Indian Corn ; and inhabit the Village 
 but in Harveft-time, or in the Seafon they go a 
 fidiing for Sturgeons, or Whiteings which are there 
 in great plenty. We thought alfo we ihould find 
 fome Canadians at the Fort of the River which we 
 had begun to build, at the beginning of our Difco¬ 
 very : But thefe Forts were only built for a Show, 
 to cover the fecret Tracle-of Furrs, and countenance 
 the great Hopes M. d’e litSbtli had given to the French 
 Court. ...r.^Codi m oj 
 
 It mu /1 be granted, that iu-ch Difcoverib are be¬ 
 yond any private Mens Power, and they mtiil be 
 *0*. coun- 
 
a Large Country in America. 22; 
 
 countenanc’d by a Sovereign Authority, to be fuc- 
 cefsful. Therefore M. de la Salle had got the French 
 Court’s Protection j but inftead of making a good 
 ufe of it for the publick Good, he did chiefly aim 
 at his own private Intereft, and for that reafon 
 negleCted a great many things neceffary to carry on 
 his Enterprize. The Fort of the River of Niagara 
 was become a deferted Place, and might have ferv’d 
 to countenance his Defign. We came along the 
 Southern Coafts of the Lake Ontario , or Fronmac ; 
 and after having failed thirty Leagues, we 
 arriv’d about Wbttfuntifa in the Year 1681. at the 
 great Village of the Tfonmntouam Iroaueje. 
 
 The Savages came to meet us, repeating often this 
 Word Ot chit agon, meaning by it, that the Bare-foot 
 was return’d from the great Voyage he had under¬ 
 took, to vifit the Nations that are beyond the River 
 Hobio and Mefcbafip ; and though our Faces were 
 burnt by the Sun, and my Clothes patch’d up with 
 wild Bull-Skins, yet they, knew me, and carry’d me 
 with my two Men into one of their Officer’s Cottages. 
 
 They did call their Council, which met to the 
 number of Thirty, or thereabouts , wearing their 
 Gowns in a (lately manner, made up with all forts 
 of Skins, twilled about their Arms, with the Calumet 
 in their Hands. They gave order that we fhou’d 
 be entertain’d according to their own Falhion, 
 while they did fmoak without eating. 
 
 After we had done eating, I told them by a Cana- 
 titan that was my Interpreter, that their Warriors 
 had brought 12 Outtaouatts as Slaves , though they 
 were their Confederates and Ononticts Friends, (’tis 
 the Name they give to the Viceroy of Canada ) 
 breaking thereby the Peace, and proclaiming War 
 again!! Canada: And the better to oblige; them to 
 deliver up to us the QuttaouaBs , who by good For¬ 
 tune were (fill alive, wc flung in the middle of the 
 Alfembly two Collars of Porcelain, that Captain 
 
2 24 ^ KewDifcoVery of 
 
 Talon had given us ; This is the only way among 
 them, to enter upon any Affair. 
 
 The next day the Council met, and the frojuefe 
 anfwer d me with tome other Collars of Porcelain ; 
 and- told me, That thofe who had made thefc Men 
 Slaves , were young Warriors without Confiderati- 
 on ; That we might allure Onontio, ( who was then 
 Count Frontenac ) that their Nation wou’d always 
 refped him in all things ; That they thou’d live with 
 him as true Children with their Father, and that they • 
 wou'd deliver up the Men who had been taken. 
 
 Teganeot, one of the chiefipft, who fpoke for the 
 whole Nation in the Council, prefented me with 
 fome Skins of Otter, Martin, andBever, to the va¬ 
 lue of thirty Crowns. I took his Prefent with one 
 Hand , and deliver d it with the other to his Son, 
 whom he lov’d tenderly. I told him. That I made 
 him that Prefent, that lie might Exchange it with 
 fome Merchandizes of Eunfe ; and that the Bare- 
 feet will accept of no Prefent at all, not out of Con¬ 
 tempt, but becaufe we are diiinterefted in all things; 
 alluring him, I would acquaint the Governor with 
 his Friendlhip. 
 
 The iroquc.e was furpiiz’d that I did not accept of 
 his Prefent; and feeing befides, that I gave a little 
 Looking-Glafs to his So i, he laid to thofe of hisNa- 
 tion, that the other Canadian: were not of thatTem- 
 per : And they fent us fevcral Fowls, as an acknow¬ 
 ledgment of their Gratitude for the care we took, 
 to teach their .Children fome Prayers in their own 
 Tongue. After the Promifes the Savages gave us to 
 live in good correfpondency with us, we took our 
 leave of them, and got our ielves ready, in-order to 
 continue our Voyage. sf, v 
 
 CHAP- 
 
a Large Country in America. 215 
 
 CHAP. LXXII. 
 
 7 he Author fets out from the Tfonnontouans Iroquefe, 
 and comes to Fort Frontenac. 
 
 I Muft confefs it is a great Pleafure for one to come 
 out of Slavery, or the Hands of Savages, and to 
 reflet upon paft Miferies; efpecfatly when he returns 
 among Friends, to reft himfelf after fo many Hard-* 
 {hips and Troubles. 
 
 We had (till about Fonrfcore Leagues to go upon 
 the Lake Ontario , before we cou’d arrive at Fort Ca- 
 tarokoui, or Frontenac ; but we were all thfe Way very 
 merry. I had help’d Picard du Gay and Michael Ako, 
 my Fellow-Travellers, with fome Skins, to make 
 amends for the Hardfhip and Pains they fufferd in 
 that Voyage. We had much, ado to row off out 
 Canow, it being much bigger than that we made 
 ule of when we fet out from the IJfati and Nadcuef- 
 fians\ hut neverthelefs we came in four Days to the 
 Fort, and kill’d in our way fome Buftards and Teals. 
 We wanted then neither Powder nor Shot, and 
 therefore we fhot at random all that we met, either 
 (mall Birds, or Turtles, and Wood-Pigeons, which 
 were then coining from Foreign Countries in fo 
 great Numbers, that they did appear in the Air like 
 Clouds. 
 
 I obferv’d upon this Occafion, and many other 
 times during our Voyage, a thing worthy of Ad¬ 
 miration: The Birds that were flying at the Head 
 of the others, keep often back, to eafe and help 
 rhofe among them that are tir’d ; which may be a 
 Leffon to Men to help one another in time of need. 
 Father Luke Buiffet, and Sergeant la Fleur, who had 
 the Command in the Fort in the Abfence of M. la 
 Salle, receiv’d us in the Houfe of our Order, that 
 we had built together. 
 
 Q They 
 
226 A Nem DifcoVery of , % 
 
 They were much furpriz’d to fee us, having been 
 told that the Savages had hang’d me with St. Fran- 
 ™ s Rope two Years ago. All the Inhabitants of 
 Canada , and the Savages that we had encourag’d to 
 live near Fort Front mac, to Till the Ground , made 
 me an extraordinary Reception, and Ihew’d much 
 Joy to fee me again. The Savages put their Hand 
 upon their Mouth , and repeated often this Word, 
 Otkon, meaning, That the Barefoot muft be a Spirit, 
 having travelld fo far, through fo many Nations 
 that wou’d have kill’d them, if they had been there. 
 Tho’ we were kindly us’d in this Fort, yet my Men 
 had a great Mind to return into Canada ; and ha-, 
 ving efcap'd fo many Dangers together, I was wil¬ 
 ling to make an End of the Voyage with them ; 
 therefore we took leave of Father Luke Briflet , and 
 of all our Friends that liv’d in that Fort, and went 
 for Quebec.' . 7r3 0 l /ualubt naM VM J 
 
 C H A P. I.XXIII. 
 
 4 Cl O O 3fTfT 1 n't V* fr *• T xjAC 
 
 tie Author fets out from For t Frontenac, and pajjes ever 
 tie rapid Stream , which is tail'd , The Lting Falk 
 He is kindly receiv'd at Montreal by Count Frontenac. 
 
 W E fetout from the Fort (boner than I thought, 
 not being able to keep any longer ray Men, 
 and in our Way took a more exad View of the 
 Mouth of the Lake Ontario, or Frontenac. This Place 
 is call d Thoufand fflands , becaufe there are fo many 
 of them, thac ’tisimpoflible to tell them. The Stream 
 is here very rapid j but its Swifrnefs is prodigioulfy 
 increas'd^ by the great Quantity of Waters that 
 come, from the other Lakes abovementioifd, and a 
 -great many Rivers that run into this, in the Place 
 
 call’d. The Long Fall , which makes it as dreadful as 
 tne great Pall of Niagara. 
 
a Ldrge Country in America. 12^ 
 
 But befides this great Quantity of Waters, and 
 the Declivity of the Channel, which makes the 
 Current fo rapid, there are alfo on the Banks, and 
 in the middle df the River of St. Laurence , about 
 eight or Ten Leagues below the faid Lake , great 
 Rocks, which appear above Water, which flopping 
 the Stream of the River, makes as great a Noife as 
 the great Fall of Niagara. 
 
 This dreadful Encounter of Water that beats fd. 
 furloufly againft theie Rocks, continues about two 1 
 Leagues, the Waters fpurt up ten or twelve Yards 
 high, and appear like huge Snow-Balls, Hail, and 
 Rain, with dreadful Thunder, and a Noife like 
 Miffing and Howling of Fierce Beafls: And I do* 
 Certainly believe, that if a Man continued there a 
 confiderablc time, he wou'd become Deaf, Without 
 any Hope of Cure. 
 
 My Men refilling to carry by Land the Canowy 
 and the Skins they had got, I was forc’d to adven¬ 
 ture with them ; which I did willingly, having for¬ 
 merly pafs’d thefe Streams in a Canow: I trufted 
 my (elf again to the fame GOD who had deli¬ 
 ver’d me from fo many great Dangers. The Streatrf 
 is fo rapid, that we cou’d not tell the Trees that 
 were on the Bank , and yet there was hardly room 
 for our Canow to pafs between the Rocks. We 
 were carri’d away by thefe horrid Currents above 
 two great Leagues in a very IhOrt time; and in two 
 Days we came from Frontenac to Montreal , which 
 are about Threcfcore Leagues diftant one from ano¬ 
 ther. Before our landing at Montreal , my Men de- 
 fir’d me to leave them with the Skins in a neigh¬ 
 bouring Ifland, to fave fomle Duties, or rather 
 to keep off from M. la Salle's Creditors, who 
 wou’d have feiz’d the Commodities they had got 
 in their long Voyage with me in our great D«f- 
 eovery,' 
 
 *. Q. i 
 
 Count 
 
n8 A New Vifcoyery of 
 
 Count Frontertac , who was at Montreal , looking 
 out of a Window, faw me alone in a Canow and 
 took me for Father Luke Fillatre, one of our ’RecoL 
 lefts, who ferv’d him as Chaplain. But one of his 
 Guards, knowing me again, went to him, and ac¬ 
 quainted him with my coming; he was fo kind as 
 to come to meet me, and made me the beft Re- 
 ception that a Miflionary might expert from a Per- 
 foft of that Rank and Quality. He thought I had 
 been murther’d by the Savages two Years ago. He 
 was at firft furpriz’d, thinking I was fome other Re- 
 c vile ft that came from Virginia: But at laft he 
 knew me, and gave me a Very kind Entertain¬ 
 ment. 
 
 This Lord did wonder to fee me fo much alter'd, 
 being lean, tir’d, and tann’d, having lolt my Cloak 
 that file IJJatt had Bolin from me , being then 
 eloath’d in an old Habit, patch’d up with pieces of 
 wild Bulls-Skins. He carri’d me to his own Houfe, 
 where I continu d for twelve Days to refrelh my 
 lelf. He forbad all his Servants to give me any thing 
 to eat, without his exprefs Order, becaufe he was 
 ' afraid I fhou’d fall fick if I was left to my own Dif- 
 cretibn, to eat as much as I wou’d after fo long 
 Hardlhips; and he gave me himfelf what he thought 
 was beft. 
 
 / 
 
 He was much pleas’d to hear me talk of all the 
 Hazards I had run in fo long a Voyage among fo 
 ,iy different Nations. I reprefented to him what 
 great Advantages might be got by our Difcovery : 
 But having obferv’d that lie was always repeating 
 the fame Queftions he ask’d me the firft Day I was 
 with him, I told him I had acquainted him with 
 what I knew; and that I did not queftion but M.la 
 _who was to go to the Court of France about 
 his Affairs, had acquainred him with all the Particu* 
 lar^ ot our Voyage having, been in our Company 
 tin he was forc’d to leave us to return into Canada* 
 
 I knew 
 
a Large Country in America. 129 
 
 I knew that M. la Salle was a Man that wou’d 
 never forgive me, if I had told all that I knew of 
 our Voyage; therefore I kept fecret the whole Dif- 
 covery we had made of the River Mefchafpi. My 
 Men were as much concern’d as I, in concealing 
 our Voyage ; for they had been certainly punilh’d 
 for having undertaken it againft Orders; and the 
 Skins they had got in their return from the IJJdti 
 with M. da Luth, who did flay for that reafon among 
 the Outtaoualh, had likewife been confifcated. 
 
 Count Frontenac fhew d me in private a Letter 
 M. da Luth had fent him by a Huron, who liv’d in 
 the Neighbourhood of the Outtaouaih, by which he 
 acquainted him, he cou’d never learn any thing 
 about our Voyage, neither front me, nor from the 
 Men who attended me. I cou’d not forbear then to 
 tell him, that M. du Luth was not fo much devoted 
 to his Service as he thought; and that I might allure 
 him that fome Men that were his Opponents, had 
 Hopp’d M. du I.uth s Mouth; and that I was fully 
 perfuaded he had been fent by them with a fecret 
 Order, to pump me; buc I was bound by my Cha- 
 ra&er, and in Charity, to fpare thofe Men, tho’ on 
 many Occafions they had not dealt lb juftly with 
 me; but I was willing to leave all to God, who 
 will render to every one according to his Works. 
 
 . Francis de Laval, the firft Lord Bifhop of Quebec, 
 came along the River St. Laurence, to make his Vili- 
 tation, while I was coming to Quebec with the Lord 
 Frontenac. We met him near Fort Champlem, which 
 had been fortifi’d, to put a Stop to the Inroads of 
 the Iroyuefe: The Lord Frontenac ask’d me, if I had 
 got an Ague; and then looking upon thofe that at¬ 
 tended him, he faid, that the feeling of the Pulfe 
 increas’d the Fever; infinuating to me thereby, 
 that there was a Defign laid againft me, to get out 
 cunningly what I kept fecret in my Heart. 
 
 Q 5 
 
 After 
 
?3° A TS(ew D ifcover y of 
 
 After a fiiort Convention with the Bi/hop I 
 ask’d his Epifcopal Blefling, tho’ I did not think fit 
 to reveal to him all that I knew of our Difcovcries 
 We were going to difcourfe more largely upon this 
 Subject, when the Lord Frontenac came in, to invite 
 the Biihop to Dine with him ^ and thereby to give 
 me an opportunity to put an end to our Conven¬ 
 tion. 
 
 I was much puzzl’d in the Company of thefe two 
 Great Men, the Bi/hop was the Chief of the Com¬ 
 pany ; but I was yet to pay a great Refpett to the 
 Lord hrcntenac. I did avoid talking of Matters that 
 might he trpublefome to me ; and I told the Bi/hop, 
 that the Lord Frontenac had pre/crib’d me a Courie 
 pf Diet, left I /hou’d fall fick, after all the Hard- 
 ihips I had endur’d , and the bad Food I fed upon 
 among the Savages $ therefore I defir’d him to give 
 me leave ip return to Quebec , that I might live there 
 m private j for I was not able then to Catechife the 
 Children, nor to perform anyFun&ions of a Miffio- 
 pary in his Villtation ; and that I wanted /otneReft, 
 that I might work more vigoroufly afterwards. By 
 thefe Means I avoided a Conver/ation with 
 the Bi/hop, that wou’d have prov’d very trou- 
 blefome, to me j for he gave me leave to retire 
 to our Monaftery , to reft there after all mv Fa¬ 
 tigues. ‘ ’ ‘ • 
 
a Law Country in America. * $ i 
 
 C II A P. 
 
 A mat Defeat ef the Illinois , that were attack’d and 
 furprizdd by the xioqueie. 
 
 W ‘ fiile I was reding after my .great Labours, the 
 Lord Trontendc did 'receive' Letters from Fa¬ 
 ther Zenobe Mambre, whom I left among the Ilfaois. 
 lie fent him Word, that the h-iejue'e had drawn the 
 Miami; into their Party • and that being jom d too¬ 
 ther, they had form’d a great Army, and were tall a 
 on a fudden upon the Illinois , .to defiroy that Nan- 
 on i and that they were got together to the num- 
 bsr of Nine hundred, all Fufiliers ; thefe two Na- 
 tions being well provided with Guns, and all lot t or 
 Ammunitions of War, by the Commerce they have 
 
 projecting this Enrerprize about 
 the 12 th of September.) t 6 £o. wane I was about the 
 Difovory of the River MZcbajtpt. The Iilmjs did not 
 miftruit them ; for they had concluded a Treaty ot 
 Peace with thefe two Nations; and M. la Salle 
 had allur’d them , that he wou’d do his utmou 
 Endeavours to oblige them to obferve the Tieaty ; 
 therefore the itinois were eafily furpriz d, having 
 fent m oft pa rt of their Youth to make War in ano¬ 
 ther Country. . 
 
 A Chaouanov, Confederate to the Illinois , return¬ 
 ing from their Country home, came back again, 
 to give them notice that he had dilcover d an Army 
 of Iroquefe and Miami* , who were already en¬ 
 ter’d into their Country on purpofe to iurpnze 
 
 This News flighted the Illinois ; yet the next Day 
 they appear’d in the Field, and march’d diredtly to 
 the Enemy; and as foon as they were in fight, 
 they charg’d them. The Fight was very lharp. 
 
2 J i A ‘Ne'ifr DifcoVery of 
 
 great many Men were kill’d on both 
 
 and 
 /ides. 
 
 M. Tom, ■ whom M U Salk had left in the Fort of 
 CnvcczHT, to command there in his Abfence, hear™ 
 of th ls Irruption, was in fear for the 7 /Wsfeke ? 
 fo though their Army was more numerous than 
 hat O) their Enemy , yet they had no Guns • 
 therefore he offer'd himfoif to go , that is 
 
 WlT a — ryi y® the of Peace in 
 
 hi^Eand, in order to bring than to an Agree- 
 
 The W /9 finding more refinance than they 
 
 fohdf fif f ’ n ' ld feCI " S thatthe were J 
 S ! i to th e War , confented to a 
 
 J eace accepting Mr. 7 Ws Medi¬ 
 ation , m d hearken d co the Propofols he made 
 
 diato/ rCm thS ^ m}Si Wl) ° ,1ad cholen liini for Me- 
 
 reprefented to them, that the "Wvere 
 Ouvw s ( tis the Name they give to the Viceroy of 
 .cif.aJa ) Children and Confederates as well as them- 
 
 1 f, VV ° U , d be ve ' V unpleafont to him, 
 J.o iOV d them all, to hear that they had begun the 
 war } tmaefoie he earnehly intreated them to re? 
 turn home, and trouble the Ilbwu no further. 
 
 Peace ^ ^ rell S loufl . v obferv’d the Treaty of 
 
 Phefe Propofols did not pleafe feme of the young 
 Iroquejc, who had a great mind to fight, and there- 
 -fore cliarg d on a ludden xM. Tonti and his Men 
 - c a > eraI ^ bots 5 ancJ a ddperate young Fellow 
 • , ae f»W tf .Otirt&togte, gave him a Wound 
 
 n c Ear the Heart i but b Y chance a Rib 
 wa ded off the Stroke f Several others did fall upon 
 
 -i- , vvol ‘ d ta ^ e him away ; but one taking 
 
 knew u ‘? nd tbat b * s were not bor’d, 
 
 that rJ ^ d ’4 C \ Vvas not an > and for 
 
 reufon an old Man cry’d out. That theyfoou’d 
 
 — fpare 
 
a Large Country in America. l f $ 
 
 fpare him; and flung to him a Collar of Porcelain, 
 meaning thereby to make him Satisfaction for 
 the Blood he had loft, and the Wound he had re¬ 
 ceiv’d. 
 
 A young Man of the Iroqtafe’ s Crew, took 
 M. Tom is Hat, and hung it on his Gun, to flight 
 the Illinois therewith 5 who thinking by that Signal 
 that Tcnti, Father Zenobe, and all the Europeans that 
 were in his Company, had been kill’d by the Iroquefe, 
 were fo much furpriz’d and difquieted with that 
 horrid Attempt, that they fanci’d themfelves deli¬ 
 ver’d up into the Hands of their Enemies, and 
 were upon running away : Yet the Iroouefe having 
 made a Signal to Father Zem.be to draw near, that 
 they might confer with him about the means to pre¬ 
 vent both Armies to come to fight, they receiv’d the 
 Calumet of Peace, and made a Motion as if they had 
 a mind to withdraw : But the Illinois were hardly 
 come to their Village, before that they faw the 
 Iroquefe’s Army appearing upon fome Hills, which 
 were over-againft them. 
 
 This Motion oblig’d Father Zenobe, at the Illinois’s 
 
 Requeft, to go to them to know the reafon of a 
 Proceeding fo contrary to what they had done in ac¬ 
 cepting of the Calumet of Peace. But that Embafly 
 did not pleafe thofe Barbarians, who wou’d not lofe 
 fo fair an Opportunity. Father Zenobe did run the 
 hazard of being murther’d by thefe unmerciful Men; 
 yet the fame God who had preferv’d many of our 
 Fellow-Miffionaries in the like Encounters, and my 
 felf in this Difcovery, kept him from the Hand of 
 thefe furious Men. He was a Man of a fhort Sta¬ 
 ture, but very couragious, and went boldly among 
 the Iroojuefe , who receiv’d him very civilly. 
 
 They told him, that the Want they were reduc’d 
 to, had forc’d them to this new Step, having no P10- 
 vifions for their Army, and their great Number ha¬ 
 ving driven away the Wild-Bulls from that Country. 
 
2 $4 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 Father Zembe brought their Anfwer to the Illinois 
 who prefently fern them fome Indian Corn, and all 
 things neceffary for their Subfiftence, and propos’d 
 to them a Treaty of Commerce, having in that 
 Country a great plenty of Beaver’s Skins, and other 
 Furrs. 
 
 The Iroquefe accepted of thefc Propofals; they did 
 exchange Hoftages, and Father Zembe went into 
 their Camp, and did lie there, to lofe no time to 
 •bring all Matters to an Agreement, and conclude a 
 Treaty between them. But the Iroauefe repairing in 
 great Numbers into the Quarters of the Illinois, who 
 fufpe&ed no ill Delign, they advanc'd as far as their 
 Village, where they wafted the Maujolamms that they 
 us’d to raife to their Dead, which are commonly Gi¬ 
 ven or eight Foot high: They fpoil’d the Indian Corn 
 that was fown; and having deceiv’d the Illinois, un¬ 
 der a falfe pretence of Peace, fortifi’d themfelves in 
 their Village, 
 
 In this Confufion the Irotjuefe join’d with the Alu- 
 wis, earn’d away eight hundred Whets Women and 
 Children; and their Fury went fo far, that thefe 
 Antropophages did eat fome Old Men of that Nation, 
 and burnt fome others who were not able to follow 
 them,and fo return’d with the Slaves they had made, 
 to their own Habitations, which were four hundred 
 leagues off the Country they had fo cruelly plun¬ 
 der’d. 
 
 Upon the firft News of the Approach of the lrc- 
 yiiefe, the Illinois had fent moft part of their Families 
 to the other fide of a little Hill, to fecure them from 
 their Fury, and that they might get over the River 
 ijW and the others that were fit for War, did 
 nock together on the Tops of the Hills that were near 
 their Habitations, and then went to the other fide 
 
 °.j ^ to look after their Families, and pro- 
 *ide for their Subfiftence. 
 
 After 
 
a Large Country in America^ 2 } $ 
 
 After this perfidious Expedition, thefe Barbarians 
 wou’d fain alledge fome Pretences to excufe their 
 Treachery, and wou’d perfuade our Fathers to retire 
 from the Illinois % Country, fince they were all fled 
 away; and that there was no likelihood they fhou’d 
 want them for the future to teach them their Pray¬ 
 ers, as the Atfientatjt, or the Black-Gowns do in their 
 Countries, meaning the Jefuits, whom they call by 
 that Name. They told Fathers Gabriel and Zenobe, 
 that they Ihould do better to return into Canada, and 
 that they would attempt nothing againft the Life of 
 the Children of Onontto , Governor of Canada , defi¬ 
 ring to have a Letter under their Hand, to Ihew it 
 as a Teftimony of their honeft proceeding in this 
 occafion, and alluring them that they would no 
 more ftand by their Enemies. # 
 
 Our two Fathers being fo foriaken by their Holts, 
 and finding themfelves expos’d to the Fury of a 
 Cruel and Victorious Enemy, refolv’d to return 
 home, according to the Iroquefe Advice ; and being 
 fuppli’d by them with a Canow, they embark'd for 
 
 Canada. 
 
 CHAP. EXXVH. 
 
 The Savages Kikapoux nturther Father Gabriel de la 
 Ribourde, a Recollect MiJJionary. 
 
 G O D has given me the Grace to be infenfiblc 
 of the Wrong I have fufler’d from my Ene¬ 
 mies, and to be thankful for the Kindnefies I have 
 receiv'd from my Friends. But if ever I had rea- 
 fon to be thankful to thofe that have taken care of 
 my InftruCtion , certainly I mull confefs it was to 
 this Good Father Gabriel , who was my Matter du¬ 
 ring my Novitiate in the Monaftery of our Order 
 at Bet hunt, in the Province of Artois ; therefore I 
 
 think, 
 
 i. 
 
2 ]6 A Tfew Vtfcoyery of 
 
 think, that I am bound in Duty to mention fo Ho¬ 
 ned a Man in this Relation of my Difcovery, elpe- 
 ctally having had fo fad a Share therein, as to be 
 murder’d by the Savages Kikapux, as I will re¬ 
 late it. 
 
 It mull be obferv’d, That M. Tonti could day no 
 longer at Fort Crevecxur , after the Illinois Defeat; 
 therefore he defir’d Fathers Gabriel and Zenobe to get, 
 with two young Boys that were left there, into a 
 Canow, and return into Canada. All the red of 
 the Inhabitants had deferred that Country fince that 
 unfortunate Accident, by the Suggedion of fome 
 Men of Canada, who were the Predominant Genius 
 of the Country, who had flatter’d them with great 
 Hopes, to oblige them to forfake M. de la Salle’s 
 Defign, 
 
 Our laid Fathers being fo forc’d to leave that 
 Country after fuch a Defeat, embark’d the 18th of 
 September following, wanting all forts of Provifions, 
 except what they could kill with their Guns; but 
 being arriv’d about eight Leagues from the iUitms, 
 their Canow touching upon a Rock, let in Water, 
 and fo were forc’d to land about Noon to mend 
 it. 
 
 While they were about careening the fame, Father 
 Gabriel, charm’d with the fine Meadows, the little 
 Hills, and the pieafant Groves in that Country, which 
 are difpers’d at fuch didances, that they look as if 
 they had been planted on purpofe to adorn the 
 Country, went fo far into thofe Woods, that he lod 
 his Way. Ar'Night Father Zenobe went to look af¬ 
 ter him, as alio the red of the Company ; for he 
 was generally lov’d by all that knew him. But 
 M. Tonti was fuddenly leiz’d with panick Fears, 
 thinking that every moment the Iroquefe wou’d fall 
 upon him : So that he fenc for Father Zenobe, and 
 forc’d all his Men to retire into the Canow, and 
 lo got over the River on the Illinois-hde , and left 
 
 the . 
 
a Large Country in America, i \7 
 
 the Old Father expos’d to the Barbarians Infults, 
 without any refpeft to his Age, or to his Perfo- 
 nal Merits. 
 
 Tis true, that in the Evening one of the Young 
 Men that were in the Canow with Father Zembe, 
 fir’d a Gun by M. Tontt’s Order, and lighted a 
 great Fire ; but all was in vain. 
 
 The next Day, M- Tonti feeing he had behav d 
 himfelf cowardly on this occafion, went back again 
 by break of Day to the Place where we had letc the 
 Day before Father Gabriel , and continu d there till 
 Noon looking after the poor Ghriftian. But though 
 fomeof his Men enter’d into the Groves, where 
 they faw the freih Steps of a Man, which were al- 
 fo printed in the Meadows along the Bank of the 
 River, they could never hear of him. M. Tonti 
 faid fince, to excufe himfelf for having fo bafely 
 forlaken Father Gabriel, That he thought the Iroyueje 
 had laid an Ambufcade to furprize him ; for they 
 had feen him flying away, and they might fancy 
 he had declar’d himfelf for the Illinois. 
 
 But M. Tonti might have remember’d he had gi¬ 
 ven his Letters for Canada to thefe Iroejucfe $ and 
 that if they had form’d any Defign upon his Life, 
 they would have executed it when he was among 
 them : But they were fo far from it, that when 
 he was wounded, they prefented him with a Col¬ 
 lar of Porcelain ; which they never do but when 
 fome unlucky Accidents happen. The Savages 
 don’t ufe fo much circumfpeftion; and therefore 
 this Excufe is groundlefs and frivolous. Father 
 Zembe has left us in Writing, That he would flay 
 for Father Gabriel: But M. Tonti forc’d him to 
 embark at Three a Clock in the Afternoon ; 
 laying. That certainly he had been kill’d by the 
 Enemies, or elfe he was gone a-foot along the 
 Banks of the River ; and that they would fee 
 hhn in their way. However, they could hear 
 
 nothing 
 
2 18 A New Vifcovery of 
 
 nothing of him; and the farther they went the 
 greater Father Zenobe s Afflictions grew. They were 
 then in fuch a want of Provifions, that they had no¬ 
 thing to feed upon but Potatoes, Wild Garlick, and 
 fome final!'Roots they had fcratch’d out of the 
 Ground with their own Fingers. 
 
 We have heard fince, that Father Gabriel hid been 
 kill’d a little while after his landing. The Nation 
 of the Kikapoux, who, as one may fee in our Map 
 inhabit to the Weft ward of the Bay of Puans, had 
 fent their Youth to make War againft the W ( > 
 but hearing that thefe Barbarians were got into the 
 Country of the Illinois , they went feeking about 
 to furprize them. Three Kikapoux , making the 
 Vanguard, met with Father Gabriel , and came up 
 to him as near as they could, hiding themlelves 
 among the Grafs, which is very high in that Coun¬ 
 try ; and though they knew he was not an Iroquefe , 
 yet they knock’d him down with their Clubs, call’d 
 Head-breakers , which are made of a very hard 
 Wood. They left his Body on the fpoc, and car- 
 rid away his Breviary and Journal, which fince 
 came to the Hands of a Jefuite, whom I will men¬ 
 tion in my other Volume, wherein I delign tofpeak 
 of the Firft Introduction of the Faith into Canada, 
 Thefe Barbarians took off the Skin of his Head, and 
 carri’d it in triumph to their Village, giving out 
 that it was the Flair of an Iroauefe whom they had 
 kill’d. •// 
 
 Thus di’d this Good Old Man; to whom we may 
 apply what the Scripture fays of thofe whom Herod 
 in his Fury caus’d to be Slain, Non erat ejui fepeliret ; 
 There was no body to Bury him. This Worthy 
 Man was wont in the Leflons he made us in our 
 Novitiate, to prepare us againft the like Accidents 
 by Mortifications: And it feems that he had fome 
 rorefight of what befel him. So Good a Man de- 
 lerv d a Better Fate, if a Better might be wifh d for,- 
 
 thart 
 
a Large Country in America. 
 
 than to die in the Functions of an Apoftolical Mif- 
 fion, by the Hands of thofe fame Nations, to whom 
 the Divine Providence had fent him to convert 
 them. 
 
 Father Gabriel was about 6; Years old. He had 
 not only liv’d an exemplary Life, fueh as our Good 
 Fathers do, but had alio perform’d all the Duties 
 of the Employments he had in that Order, either 
 when he was at home Guardian, Superior, Inferior, 
 and Mailer of the Novices; or abroad when he was 
 in Canada, where he continu’d from the Year 1670, 
 until his Death. I underftood feveral times by his 
 Difcourfes, that he he was much oblig’d to the Fle¬ 
 mings, who had maintain’d him a longtime: He 
 often talk’d to us about it, to infpire us, by his 
 Example, with fome Sentiments of Gratitude to¬ 
 wards our Benefactors. I have leen him mov’d 
 with Grief, confidering that lo many Nations liv’d 
 in the Ignorance of the Way to Salvation; and he 
 was willing to lofe his Life, to deliver them out 
 of their Stupidity. 
 
 The Irotjuefe faid of him , That he had been 
 brought to bed, becaufe Iris Great Belly was become 
 flat by his frequent Fallings, and the Aufterity of 
 his Life. 
 
 M. Tonti can never clear himfelf of his Bafenefs, 
 for forfaking Father Gabriel, under pretence of being 
 afraid of die Imquefe: For though they are a Wild 
 Nation, yet they lov’d that Good Old Man, who 
 had been often among them: But M. Tonti might 
 bear him fbme Secret Grudge; becaufe Father Ga¬ 
 briel, after the lllmois Defeat, feeing that M. Tonti 
 had over-laden the Canow with Beavers-Skins, Co 
 that there was no room for him, he did throw ma¬ 
 ny of thefe Skins to the botjuefe, to Ihew them that 
 he was not come into that Country to get Skins or 
 other Commodities. 
 
 Father 
 
240 A “New Difcovery of 
 
 Father Zenobe had neither Credit nor Courage 
 enough to perfuade M. Tonti to flay a while for that 
 Good Father, who was thus facrific’d to fecure fome 
 Beavers-Skins. I do not doubt but the Death of 
 that 'venerable Old Man was very precious in the 
 fight of God, and I hope it will produce one time 
 or other its Effeds, when it lhall pleafe God to fet 
 forth his Mercy towards thefe Wild Nations * and 
 I do wifli it might pleafe him to make ufe’ of a 
 feeble means, as I am, to finilh what I have, 
 through His Grace, and with Labour, fo happily 
 begun. r 1 
 
 CHAP. LXXVI. 
 
 The Author s Return from bis Difcovery , to Quebec ; and 
 what haphed at his Arrival at the Convent of Our 
 Lady of Angels near that Town. 
 
 /"“lOunt Frontcnac , Viceroy of Canada , gave me 
 two of his Guards, who underflood very well 
 to manage a Canow, to carry me to Quebec. We 
 fet out from Champlems Fort, mention’d above; and 
 being near the Town, I landed, and went a-fooc 
 through the Lands newly grubb’d up, to our Mona¬ 
 stery, bidding the Guards to carry the Canow along 
 with them. 
 
 I would not land at Quebec, becaufe the Bifhop 
 had given order to his Vicar-General to receive me 
 in his Epifcopal Palace, that he might have more 
 time to enquire about our Great Difcovery: But 
 Count Frontenac had exprefly order’d his Major that 
 was in the Town, to prevent that Meeting, and to 
 take care that I might firfi: be brought to our Mo* 
 naftery, to confer with Father Valentin de Roux, a 
 Man of great Underflanding, and Provincial-Com- 
 miflary of the Recoliccb in Canada. 
 
 There 
 
a Large Country in America. 141 
 
 There was then in our Monaftery of Our Lady 
 of Aneds, but Three Miflionar.es with thefaid Coni- 
 tniffarv; all the reft were difpersd upland-down in 
 feveral Miflions above a hundred Leagues <rom 
 Quebec. One may eafily imagine that I was wel- 
 cSme to our Monaftery; Father fhlatvm Jennet 
 feem'd furpriz’d, and told me w.th a fnnhng Coun- 
 tenance, Lazare veniforas. thereupon 1 ask dh.m 
 whv he did apply to me what had been laid ot 
 Lalarus ? To which he anfwer’d, that two \ears 
 aeo a Mafs of Requiem had been lung tor me in the 
 Monaftery , becaufe fome Savages had given out 
 for certain, to a Black Gown, >. e. a Jeiuit, That 
 the Nation whom the koquefe call Hontcuagaba, had 
 hung me to a Tree with St. fWs Rope; and 
 that two Men who accompani d me, had been alio 
 in a very cruel manner put to Death by the lame 
 
 Sa Here I muft confefs, That aft Men have their 
 Friends and their Enemies. There are fome Men 
 who, like the Fire that blackens the Wood it cannot 
 burn, muft needs raife Stories againft their Neigh¬ 
 bours : and therefore fome having not been able 
 to get me into their Party, fpread abroad this 1 u- 
 mour of my Death, to ftain my Reputation; and 
 that Noife had given occafion to feveral Diicourles 
 in Canada to my Prejudice. However, ( for I will, 
 if it pleafe God, declare my Mind farther upon this 
 matter in another Volume) I ought to acknowledge 
 that God has preferv’d me by a lort of Miracle, 
 in this great and dangerous Voyage, of which you 
 have an Account in this Volume. And when I 
 think on it with attention, I am perfuaded that 
 Providence has kept me for publiflung to the World 
 the Great Difcoveries I have made in Eleven Years 
 time, or thereabouts, that I have liv’d in the Heft- 
 Indies. 
 
 
 R 
 
 It 
 
1 r A ixtD? T)ifco^cry of 
 meddle with* £that^on’t 
 
 ^T^SSSSt 
 
 rT^A 
 
 Frontevac, with w£ Stf ^ C ° Unt 
 
 this Difcover^ _„j r , a mind t0 know of 
 Pmg myM’ “ d them b °*> without «. 
 
 too I k’rf l it'”^l!T *"?“*« a " «* Care h e 
 did (hew me in JI ,l,e . e ? tra0 'dinary Civilities he 
 get then *nA e .? terta,n,n g with all he could 
 He defir’d mlt Ca ,ng ™ e often the Rtis’d-again. 
 Publick with thp returf l 1 .’“° Europe, to acquaint the 
 that hv 11 r §r /L eat £ ,fcoverie s I had made, and 
 two Me?• S * ^ d aVoid . the iealoufy of thefe 
 Matters whnfe F* W . aS vei Y difficult to pleafe two 
 difcnt. H f EmpIoyment and Int erefts were ft 
 
 before my Return into Europe , all 
 y e t lac , Was neceflary to Copy out my whole 
 
 dertnnt ° n wt ^i Ver Me f cha fipi, which I had un- 
 
 madelnfl M ' h t **'* Opinion, who has 
 of .in... , a V oyage from the Illmoii to the Guiph 
 
 me. illt !? u’j l ear l6 o 2 : . and tvvo Years after 
 Vovape- J 3C i^ ad ^ j ie PuP P^ c ' on t had made that 
 JSrJ ^-^W-nor-ftnow the Truth of it at 
 
 undertook zVoy^ZteO /*““*• *“ ^ ^ 
 
 inp uhffl,. .1 v® e to “ ie Outoungamn, not know- 
 
 n i?ve„ ' Sa,agK ' ,ad ™ rther ' d «• it tad 
 Uwcn g lv cn ouc. 
 
 folutfon°rr d OUr Commi ^ r y , s Advice, and the Re- 
 tl0n to return Europe ; but before I fet out, 
 
 I (hew’d 
 
a Large Country in America. 14 j 
 
 I Ihew’d him that it was abfolutely neceflary for 
 the Settlement of Colonies in our Difcovcries, and 
 make fome progrefs towards the eftablilhing of the 
 Gofpel, to keep all thefe feveral Nations in peace, 
 even the mod remote, and aflift them againft the 
 Iroejuefe , who are their Common Epemies: That 
 thefe Barbarians never make a True Peace with thofe 
 that they have once beaten, or they hope to over¬ 
 come, in Ipreading Divifions among them; that the 
 common Maxim of the Iro^uefe had always been fuch, 
 and by this means they had deftroy’d above Two 
 Millions of Souls. 
 
 The Provincial-Commiflary agreed with me up¬ 
 on all this, and told me that for the future he Ihould 
 give me all the neceflary Inftru&ions for that pur- 
 pofe. ' 
 
 I will give an Account, if it plcafe God, in my 
 Second Volume, of the Ways and Meafures that 
 are to be taken for the eftablifhing of the Faith 
 among the many Nations of fo different Languages; 
 and how good Colonies might be letled in thofe 
 great Countries, which might be call’d the Delights 
 of America, and become one of the greateft Empires 
 in the World. 
 
 
 

 CONTINUATION. 
 
 OF THE 
 
 New Difcovery 
 
 O F A 
 
 Vaft Country in America, 
 
 Extending above Four Thoufand Miles, . 
 BETWEEN 
 
 N ew France and N ew Mexico 
 
 Giving an 
 
 account 
 
 OF THE 
 
 At !T P es ofte A Tte VaCgofj 
 Mee by the Englfi ; With the Ad v antages 
 of a Shorter Cut to China a nd jafan. 
 
 ' 
 
 
To His Majefty 
 
 William III. 
 
 By the Grace of God 
 
 King of Great Britain. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 IS Catholick Majefty, His E* 
 ledtoral Highnefs of Bavaria , 
 and the Superiors of my Or¬ 
 der having given me leave to come in¬ 
 to thefe happy Provinces, according to 
 Your Majefty*s dire&ion, to publifh 
 the Difcoveries I have made in Avie - 
 
 
 A 2 
 
 nca 
 
 
The Dedication . 
 
 vita 5 and Your Majelly having been 
 gracioufly pleafed to accept my firft 
 Volume, I make bold to offer You 
 alfo this Second Part 5 wherein I m- 
 fert the Travels of a Gentleman whom 
 I have accompanied feveral Years, and 
 whofe violent Death, by the Hands of 
 his own Men, difappointedahe great 
 Defigns he had formed upon the 
 Mines of St. Barbe in New Mexico. 
 The Obfervations I make upon his 
 Voyage will fhew unto Poflerity, that 
 a Man mull never be ungratefull to 
 his Friends, nor revenge himfelf of 
 his Enemies, but as much as it con¬ 
 cerns the Publick Good, which ought 
 always to prevail upon the private In- 
 tereft. 
 
 This is a Chara&er peculiar to the 
 Illuftrious Houfe of Na/fau , who has 
 formerly fill’d the Roman Imperial 
 Throne, and who is now cloathed in 
 Your Majeflv’s Peribn with a Royal 
 Power over Three great Kingdoms, and 
 
 other 
 
Tfe Dedication.^ 
 
 other large Dominions which form the 
 
 Britijh Empire. -L.>■ 
 m All the World agrees, that Nature 
 apd Grace have happily confpir’d to 
 unite in Your Sacred Perfon all the 
 Chriftian , Political and Military V ir- 
 tue of Your Renowned Ancestors- 
 The great Elevation of Your Genius , 
 which has manifefted it felf by Your 
 noble and generous Defigns 5 Your 
 GeneroEty and Liberality fo worthy 
 of Your flluftrious Birth ; Your noble 
 Inclination to do good to all Men, 
 even to Your Enemies themfelves, and 
 the unparallell d Conftancy and great- 
 nefs of Soul which You have exprefsd 
 in the greateft AdverEties, the true 
 Touchftone of true Merit, are fo con- 
 fpicuous, that everyone is convincd 
 of Your Majefty’s Magnanimity, Va¬ 
 lour , Jufticc, Equity, Sincerity and 
 Piety. 
 
 Your Majefty fignaliz’d the Love 
 You had for Your own Country, when 
 
 A 3 You 
 
The Dedication . 
 
 You took the Command of the Armies 
 of the States General againft a power¬ 
 ful! and victorious Conquerour, whom 
 Your Majefty forced to abandon at 
 moft in one Day the Conqueft he had 
 made in the united Provinces. All 
 the World admir’d Your Valour, and 
 more ftill Your unparallell’d Prudence, 
 winch no body expected in fucb a de¬ 
 gree from a Prince of Three and twen¬ 
 ty Years of Age. 
 
 Never Prince was more matter of that 
 nice Art of foftening the different Tem¬ 
 pers of Nations, managing their diffe¬ 
 rent Intereft, giving Life to their Re- 
 folutions, and therefore no Prince had 
 been able hitherto to form aftd cement 
 fuch an Alliance as we fee at this Day 
 for the fafety of Europe. Thofb great 
 Qualities and incomparable Virtues 
 make Your Majefty the Darling of 
 Your People and the Terror of Your 
 Enemies, and keep Rebels and Facti- 
 ou/meh in awe, when Your Majefty’s 
 
 abfcnce 
 
The dedication. 
 
 abfence out of Your own Kingdoms 
 feems to give them a.fair Opportuni¬ 
 ty to difturb the Tranquility of Great 
 Britain: As You afeended the Throne 
 without any effulion of Blood, God, 
 whofe Glory has been always Your 
 chiefeft Care, having been pleafed to 
 crown with a glorious and unexpected 
 Succefs, the Equity of Your Intenti¬ 
 ons, fo Mercy and Clemency have 
 been ever fince the Bafis of it, not- 
 withftanding the many repeated Pro¬ 
 vocations of lll-difpofed Perfons, whole 
 Obftinacy defervd to be punilhU 
 The Confederate Princes having 
 chofen Your Majefty for their Genera -- 
 liflimo, and given proof in their choice 
 both oftheRefpeCt and Truft they have 
 in Your Majefty, nothing feems wanting 
 to compleat Your Glory but to pro¬ 
 cure to Europe a folid and lafting Peace, 
 which we hope is near at hand, and 
 which will Ibew Your Majefty’s in¬ 
 comparable Prudence and Wifdcm, as 
 
 A 4 the 
 
The Dedication. 
 
 the management of the Warhasfhown 
 four Valour and Magnanimity. The 
 fo much admir'd Prudence of C*far 
 and the Valour of Alexander. , come ve¬ 
 ry fhort of what Your Majefty has al¬ 
 ready exprefs d, and all impartial Men 
 will agree, that Your Majefty has ex¬ 
 ceeded the moll famous Heroes men¬ 
 tioned in Hiftory 5 but I muft leave off 
 rhis Subje&for fear of offending Your 
 Madefy, which is an infeparable Com¬ 
 panion of all great Souls. 
 
 I muft beg Your Majeftys Pardon 
 for the Liberty I take to complain a 
 gainft fo me Inhabitants of this City of 
 Vtrecht, who, though of the fame Re¬ 
 ligion as I am, endeavour to render 
 me odious, becaufe, being a Francif 
 can, A have dedicated to YourMaje- 
 fiy' two Volumes of the Difcovery I 
 have made in America, They ought 
 t&rdcnow that I have done nothing 
 btif by Your Majeftys Permiflion and 
 watfxff the States, and therefore they 
 ^ ~ have 
 
The Dedication. 
 
 have not a due refped for Your Sacred 
 Majcfty and their High and Mightinef- 
 fes. 1 hope thofe very Perfons will ac¬ 
 knowledge one time or other their 
 miftake and the fincerity of my Inten¬ 
 tions, which are fuch, that I may con¬ 
 fidently fay, I propofe nothing to my 
 felf but the Glory of God, and to find 
 out, under Your Majefty’s Protection, 
 aPaffage into China and Japan without 
 eroding twice the Line, which the 
 Englijh and Dutch have fo often vainly 
 attempted, through the Frozen Sea: I 
 hope, Sir, through the Adi fiance of 
 God, and the Favour of Your Majefty, 
 to fucceed in my Defign, and difeover 
 it before the end of this Age. 
 
 By thefe means a great many Bar¬ 
 barous Nations will be brought to the 
 knowledge of the true God and their 
 Redeemer Jefus Chrift, whichlamfure 
 is a fufficient motive for Your Majefty 
 to give all Incouragement for this Un¬ 
 dertaking 5 for being convinc’d oi 
 
 Your 
 
'The Dedication. 
 
 Your Majefty s Piety, I need not ufe 
 for an Argument the Temporal Ad 
 vantages, that will accrue thereby to 
 Your Kingdoms. 
 
 That God be pleafed to blefs Your 
 Majefty with all forts of Profperities, 
 Your Undertakings with a glorious 
 Succefs , and Your Subje&s with an 
 cverlafting Felicity, is and will always 
 be the Prayer of, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tour Majefty s moft Humble 
 and moft Obedient Servant , 
 
 to' 
 
 F. Lewis Hennepin, 
 
 Mijfmary RecolleCl and Notary /tpojlolkk. 
 
 THE 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 I Need not make a long Preface to this Book, 
 the Subjell Matter thereof is able to recom¬ 
 mend it Jelf to the perufal of all InquifitiVe 
 Readers. The Worlds tho' unjuft in moftcafeS, 
 do however Juft ice to Travellers, and the Account* 
 of their Toy ages meet, generally [peaking, with a 
 more favourable Reception than any other Perform 
 mances. This is a kind of Reward to Travellers 
 for the unfpeakable Fatigues they have fuffer d, 
 Notwithftanding I have not travelled through Po* 
 life Nations, nor feen any wonder full Edifices in 
 the Countries I have difcovered, I have met with 
 that Reward; the Defcription of the Cabins of 
 Reeds and Rufhes, which are the Habitations of 
 above xoo Nations unknown before me, have been 
 as acceptable to Ingenicm Readers as the Defcri¬ 
 ption of their noble Palaces and Temples of Chi¬ 
 na in feme other Authors. Mv Defcription of 
 Louifiania was printed feveral times , and the 
 
 late 
 

 The PREFACE. 
 
 late Volume I publifhed has met with fuch a Re¬ 
 ception, that I may prefume this will have the 
 fame fate. And really the Dif coverj of zgO 
 different Hattons unknown hitherto to-the Europe¬ 
 ans is, one wouldthink, a fit Subjett to excite any 
 one's Curiofity. 
 
 1 would therefore break off my Preface in this 
 place, were 1 not obliged to anfwer fome falfe Ac- 
 cufations my Enemies have raifed againft me, and 
 becaufe I am in a Religious Order , / think fit to 
 begin with inferting two Attefiations or Certificates 
 of Fathers of my ' own Order, which will prevent 
 fome further Calumnies on that Point. 
 
 I Underwritten certify to have read and exa? 
 
 mined a Book entituled , A Defeription of 
 Louifiana , newly difeovered to the South-weft of 
 Hew France , with an Account of the Manners of 
 the Savages of that Country, written by Father 
 Hennepin a Recoiled Preacher, and Apoftolick 
 Miffionary, and to have found nothing therein 
 contrary to Faith or good Manners, but that 
 on the contrary, the laid Book contains many 
 Reflexions and Remarks, which may be of 
 great ufe for the Converfion of the Savages, 
 and the Advantages of the Kingdom. Given 
 at our Covent of RecolleXs in Paris, Decem¬ 
 ber i}-. 1681. 
 
 F. Cefaree Harveau Lettor in Di- 
 vinity, Father Provincial and 
 ' Cuflos of the Recolletts of the 
 
 Province of St. Penys in France. 
 
 I have 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 I Have read a Book entituled , A Defcnption 
 of Louifma ,, newly difcovered to the South- 
 «*/? of Hew Ftance, with an Account of the 
 Manners of the Savages of that Country, ui 
 which I have found nothing but what is con¬ 
 formable to the Faith of the Catholick, Apofto- 
 lick and Roman Church, the Caws of the King¬ 
 dom, and good Manners; and it may be very 
 ufefull towards eftablilhing the Faith of Jelus 
 Chrift in that new World, and extending the 
 Empire of our Monarch in that fertile and deli¬ 
 cious Country. Given at St. Germain enLaye 
 in our Covent of Recoiled!s, December 14,1681. 
 
 F. Innocent Micaitlt Definitor of 
 the Recolletts of the Province of 
 St. Denys in France, W Gene¬ 
 ral Commijfioner in the Province 
 of Recolletts of St. Anthony in 
 ' Artois. 
 
 Having premifed thefe two Certificates , / come 
 now to anfwer the Objettions *my Enemies urge a- 
 
 gainfl me. . * 
 
 1. How, fay they , can a Francifcan, and con - 
 
 feqiiently a Priefi of the Church of Rome, follieit 
 a Proteflant Prince to fend him to preach the 
 Oof pel unto the Ignorant Hations he has difcove¬ 
 red t For is it not more reafonalle. to think , that 
 that Monarch void rather convert that People Jo 
 his own Religion, than fujfer Catholick Mifftonaries 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 to convert them to the Church of Rome ? What 
 Opinion then ought Men to have of the Religion of 
 Father Hennepin? This is the chief Argument in- 
 fifted on by my Enemies to make me odious to thofe 
 of my Religion, or rather to the ignorant part of 
 //; but I may eafily confute that filly Column )• 
 For in the firft place ,, His Majefly of Great Bri. 
 tain has not exattednor demanded any Promife of 
 me, when He was pleafed to admit me into His 
 Service, that may be dir ellly or indircttly contra¬ 
 ry to my Religion. Thefe Bigots ought by the 
 fame reafon to cenfure the Emperor, the King of 
 jpain, the Eleftors of the Empire, and Bi/hops 
 °f Liege, Munfter, &c. who are entred into fo 
 ftrill an Alliance with His Majefly of Great Britain, 
 and conclude from thence, that thofe Catholick 
 Princes have formed fome Defign againfl the Ca¬ 
 tholick Religion. But fuppojhtg that the Englifh 
 convert thofe numerous Nations to their Religion, 
 and that I contribute fomethingto it, am 1 for all 
 that to be blamed > I hope no body will fay fo 
 unlefs it be thofe morofe Bigots, who think that 
 the ignorant Americans who worfhip the Devil , or 
 any other Creature, are nearer to the Kingdom of 
 God than Protejlants who worfhip the fame God as 
 we, hope in the fame Redeemer, and are fepara- 
 ted from us only upon Jome points; which Opini¬ 
 on / look upon as a Frenzy worthy of my Compaf- 
 fion, and not of a Reply. But who told them that 
 the Catholick Faith cannot be preached under the 
 ProtecHon of King William, or the States Gene¬ 
 ral ? Thofe who cenfure me, enjoy their Religion 
 
 under 
 
ThePREFACE. 
 
 Under that very Protection, and the Reader will 
 find at the latter end of this Volume, what offers 
 the Englilh made to our Recoiled $ in America. 
 But let them fay what they pleafe, 1 have the Ap¬ 
 probation of His Catholick Majefiy, the EleClor 
 of Bavaria, and the permijfion of the Superiors of 
 my Order. 
 
 x. Some others think that I impofe upon them in 
 the Account I give of the courfe of the Mefchafipi, 
 and that it is not pofftble Ifhould have travelled in fa 
 fbort a time from its Mouth to its Source, to thefe 
 I reply, that they are not acquainted with Canous 
 made of Bark of trees, which are fa light that one 
 may travel xo,xq, and in cafe of need 30 Leagues 
 in a Day againfi the Stream of a River, whereas 
 by my Account it does not come to ten in a Day. 
 But if one follows the Stream, as we did from the 
 River of the Illinois to the Mouth of the Mefcha- 
 fipi, the Jwiftnefs is fa great, that 1 am fure we 
 Jpent twice more than was requir’d. 
 
 3. When wicked and malicious Per fans eonfpire 
 the Ruin of a Man they hate, or elfa who gives 
 them fame umbrage, they make ufe of all Arti¬ 
 fices', therefore my Enemies being afraid, that'* 
 the pubhjbing of my Difaoveries may prejudice their 
 Interefl, they have done their utmofi to difiwade 
 the Bookfellers of this City of Utrecht from print - 
 ing my Books; infinuating, that this was but a Re¬ 
 petition of my Deferiptson of Louifiana publifhed 
 many Tears agoe, and tranjlated, as they fay, into 
 Dutch; but really this is very impertinent j for my 
 Louifiana contains not 10 Sheets, and how is it 
 
 pofftble 
 
The P R E F A C E. 
 
 pojftble that the Alft raft of it fhould contain $q» 
 ’Tis true, I repeat fome few things 1 pullifhed 
 then, becaufe otherwife I had been unintelligible, 
 but moft commonly I refer the Reader to that 
 Book, which certainly I would not have done , if 
 this laft were nothing but the Repetition of the 
 former. But I would ask thefe Gentlemen, whe¬ 
 ther they have found in the Defcription of Loui- 
 fiana, any Account of the Courfe of the Mefcbaiipi 
 from the River of the Illinois into the Gulph of 
 Mexico ; nor the Account of Mr. de la Salle’r un¬ 
 fortunate Travels, with my Additions, and many 
 other things: And as there is no body fo impu¬ 
 dent to fay they have, they confute themfelves, 
 and mufl own, that thefe two Books / have dedi¬ 
 cated to His Majefly were hot printed before. I 
 have however the Comfort that they don t accufe 
 me to have robVd others; the Louifiana was my 
 own Work, and I think I may be as free to borrow 
 fometbing from it in cafe of need, as others have 
 done. 
 
 4. A Learned Man has obfervd in a very civil 
 manner , that 1 have f aid that I have fpent a* 
 bout 11 Years in my Ditto very, and yet it does 
 not appear by my Account of it that I have been 
 fo long ; but he muft olferve, that when 1 fay 
 Eleven Tears, I reckon from the time that 1 Jet 
 out from Flanders, which was jujt after the Battel 
 of S'enefF, where 1 was in great danger of my life , 
 to the fecond Edition of my Defcription of Loui* 
 fiana, which was in 1608 ,* and therefore I might 
 havefaid Fourteen Tears injlead of Eleven; for 
 
 l have 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 / have been all that while about it , either in Eu¬ 
 rope or America. 
 
 5-. Some other peevifb Criticks urge , that when 
 I fay that the Savages of IlTati call the Sun Loirs, 
 I defigned to flatter the King of France; but ths 
 is a foolifh Suggeflion, and a far fetch’d Flattery, 
 the name of Louis being common to the King and 
 the meanefl of his Subjects; therefore I repeat, 
 how that having liv’d a conjiderable time in the 
 Family of Aquipaguetin, one of the chief of the 
 Iflati, and learned their Language, I was ajjured, 
 that they call the Sun by no other name than Lou* 
 is, and the Moon Louis Bafetche, that is the Sun 
 of the Night. 
 
 6 . Others having no Objection, to make , tells us. 
 That I relate nothing extraordinary; but in the 
 name of Wonder, what will this People have ? For 
 if the Defeription of 4 or 5" Lakes, or rather Frcfi- 
 water Seas, fome of which are in circuit 4, 5 and 
 700 Leagues , upon which we Jailed with a Ship 
 of 60 tuns for 500 Leagues together, to the great 
 amazement of the Savages, who had never feen 
 the like, nor heard the noife of Cannon : If the 
 Defer ipt ion of the fall of Nigara, which is one of 
 the mojl furprizing things in the World, the Wa¬ 
 ter falling from above 700 Foot high: If the 
 Difcovery of 200 different Nations unknown be¬ 
 fore, and of whom no Traveller had made menti¬ 
 on ; if all thefe things, I fay, with theDescripti¬ 
 on ^of that delicious Country, does not feem ex¬ 
 traordinary , 1 don't know what will feem fuch to 
 thofe Gentlemen. I relate what l have feen, and 
 
 a really 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 really / lie under no temptation to forge any fur- 
 prizing Difcvvery to recommend my Book, the real 
 things / cbfervd being worthy of the Confe¬ 
 deration of all ingenious Men. 
 
 7 - Such who have not travelled, nor read many 
 Accounts cf Voyages, are very apt to blame what 
 they dont underftand, and therefore laugh when 
 one tells them of a new difcovered Country 
 larger than Europe, for they 'fancy there can be 
 nojuch thing. • and when they talk c/Canada, they 
 talk of it as if it ivere no larger than a Principali¬ 
 ty in Germany; but Men of Parts and Reading 
 are of another Opinion: I have demonflrated that 
 Canada is about 700 Leagues long, and that the 
 Coafi cf the River St. Laurence, which I have fur- 
 veyd from its Mouth to the great Lake from 
 which it fprings is near 800 Leagues long. / 
 fay the fame thing of the incomparable River 
 Mdbhafipi, which is larger and bigger than the 
 former; and to flew the probability of the tiding, 
 
 1 have fet down in the general Map of my Difco- 
 very the Courfe of the River of the Amazons, in 
 the Southern America, which is efleemedmuch the 
 fame, though in my Opinion the Melchaflpi - and 
 the River St. Laurence have a longer Courfe. 
 From the Courfe of tkfe s Rivcrs, and the Extent 
 of the Lakes, 1 conclude that the Continent 1 
 lave difcovered is^ibpr than Europe, which 
 might in lime firm rv. 'of . great eft Empires in 
 the World. ' \ • myfhD\vsu ubrnsO 
 
 1 intend to deferibe in this Volume tbofe Coun¬ 
 tries, to treat of the nature of their Soil, and of 
 
 * 5 * the 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 the Cufioms, Manners, and Genius of the Inhabi¬ 
 tants ; W tvbat fort of Trades may he fettled 
 inthofe Parts • therefore 1 thought fit to add an 
 Abftratt of the Voyage Mr Ac. la Salle made thi¬ 
 ther after me. The Me is divided into Chapters 
 according to the Method / followed tn the Fuji 
 
 I defign the latter end of my Book to treat of 
 the fewConverfions our Miftonaries have wrought 
 in Canada, notwithflanding their Zeal and inde¬ 
 fatigable Labours, which ought to make us thank- 
 full towards God, who out of his infinite kindnejs 
 has been pleajed to llefs us with his Knowledge, 
 whilfl fo many tboufands of our fellow Creatures 
 are wholly left to themfelves, without any Know¬ 
 ledge of God. I am however fully convinced, that 
 the Savages inhabiting the Banks of the Mucha- 
 fipi will be more fucceptible and capable of em¬ 
 bracing our Holy Religion, becaufe they are not 
 fo fierce, than the Savages of the North, who are 
 commonly Cruel and Ohjlinate. 
 
 To make this Volume more ujefull, Ihave 
 made fome Reflexions on Mr Ac la Salle s aft 
 Voyage, becaufe I was better acquainted with thoje 
 vafi Countries than Father Chriftian le Clercqz, 
 Difinitor of our Recoil ells of the Province of Artois, 
 who has publifhed an Account of it. 1 have a _& red j 
 efteem for that Father, and was always hu Friend, 
 and mufl own, that he has given a good Account of 
 Canada and Gafpcfia ; but at the fame time lmufl 
 fay, that the Account he gives of the Inhabitants 
 
 of Louifiana and about the Mticlialipi is not to 
 
 J ~ be 
 
 a % 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 he rely'd upon , for he never wu within noo 
 Leagues of that Country. Gafpee in Accadia 
 and Quebec, thenearefiplaces where he ha been 
 king above that diflance. ’Tis true , the Diary 
 of my Dijcovery , of which I gave a Copy to Fa¬ 
 ther \alentin Is Roux , as 1 have obferved in 
 my firfl Volume , was communicated unto him. as 
 aljo for/ie Memoirs of Father Zenobe Mambre, 
 who remained among the Illinois, while I was 
 fent to dijcover the Courfe of the Mefchaiipi • 
 and fo far Father lejQercqz is right , hut his Ad¬ 
 ditions are not of the fame Coyn. Ido not won¬ 
 der that he fhould commend fo much Father 
 Mambre, who was his own Couftn , and a very good 
 Man befides. We travelled together as far as 
 tort Crevecceur mentioned in my firfl Volume , 
 where l left him among the Illinois, and have 
 been always good Friends. After his return from 
 America he came to fee me in our Covent of 
 Chateau Cambrehs, and told me , he was going 
 again into Amtrkawith Mr. de la Salle, and 
 that he expelled he (hould have an Opportunity 
 to make more exact Obfervations on the Mefchafi- 
 pi than thofe 1 bad done in the Tear 1680 , becaufe 
 Mr. de la Salle defignsd to undertake that Voyage 
 with fuch a number of Men as to fear nothing from 
 the Infults of the Savages. But if I do not blame 
 Father le Glercqz for the honourable mention be 
 makes of his Relation , / think every body will con¬ 
 demn him for his concealing the name of the Author 
 je hdi tranferib d , and thereby attributing to 
 htmfeif the glory of my perilous Voyage. This 
 
 piece 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 piece of Injuftice is common enough in this Age. 
 
 Mr. de la Salle undertook to go down the 
 Mefchafipi from the River of the Illinois in the 
 Tear 1681, that is, two Tears after me, which 
 was the Jource and caufe of his Anirnofity againft 
 me, and of the rigorous Orders they obtained from 
 the Court of France, to command me to depart 
 the Dominions of the French King, upon pretence 
 that I was a Subject of the King of Spain, ml have 
 mentioned in my Preface to my fir ft Volume. This 
 Order, as l may prefume to fay fo, was as con¬ 
 trary to the Rule of Juft ice, as of P olitichs, for 
 they might very weft forefee that I jhould acquaint 
 fome perfon or other with my Difcoveries, and 
 crofs thereby their Defigns. 
 
 From thefe Obfervations it is plain, that as I 
 was the firft European who difcovered the Courfe 
 of the Mefchafipi, and the delicious Country a- 
 bout it; fo aft others have Jeen nothing but what 
 I had feen before, and have related nothing ma¬ 
 terial, but what they have abftrailed out of the 
 Copy of the Journal of my Voyage which I gave to 
 Father Valentin le Roux, and was by him com¬ 
 municated to Father Hyacinth le Fevre. 
 
 Mr. de la Salle had begun a Settlement in the 
 IJlandef Montreal in Canada, which is zq Leagues 
 about, and this fmall Colony is fo much improv'd 
 as to be now a great and populous Village. 1 hey 
 call it China, becaufe while Mr. de la Salle lived 
 there, and began the Settlement, he fpoke very 
 often of the Mines of St. Barbe, and Jaid, that 
 as foon as he had taken thofe Mines , he would go 
 
 a 3 into 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 Into China and ’Japan without croffing the Line 
 and to that end, find a PaJJage into the South- 
 Sea. This was the chief Subjell of our Cornier - 
 fat ions, and as the Difcoveries 1 have made can¬ 
 not be far from the Pacifick Sea, I don't quefli • 
 on but Mr , de la Salle, whofe great Courage was 
 proof againfi all Difficulties and Misfortunes, 
 would have fucceeded in his Deftgn. 
 
 Thofe who are skill d in Geography have long 
 agoe fufpecled that Japan is contiguous to the 
 Lands of the Northern America; and the Learned 
 Girevius, Jo well known in the Commonwealth of 
 Learning, having carefully examined our Difcove- 
 r h Wa $ pleafed to tell me very lately in a meeting 
 of Vertuofi, in this City of Utrecht, That he was 
 of my Opinion, and did not think that Japan was 
 an Ifland, as it is commonly faid, but that it 
 joy ns with the large Country J had difcove¬ 
 red. 
 
 I have made ufe of a proof in my lafl Volume , 
 Chapter } 7, which 1 crave leave to repeat in this 
 place, becaufe it is a Matter of Fall: While 1 
 was amongH the Ifiati and Nadouellans there came 
 an Ewbaffy of Savages from a very remote Nati¬ 
 on to the Welt ward.' I was in the Cabin when my 
 Fofler Father Aquipaguetin {for he had adopted 
 me h’s Son ) gave them Audience , and having 
 ashed them fome Queftions; by an Interpreter, they 
 told me that they came from a remote Country to 
 the Weft ward, that they had marched 3 Moons, 
 ft hat is. Months') without meeting with any La fa, 
 tfat is in their meaning, the Seas ; which certain- 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 /f v 
 
 ly could not be true, was there any fuch a thing a s 
 the Streight of Agnian fet down in mofi of our 
 Mapps. 
 
 7 he Englifh and Dutch have in vain attempt - 
 ed to find out a Paffage to China and Japan 
 through the Frozen-Sea, bat if they are pleafed 
 to fend me about it, / am confident that I fha.i 
 find fome great River running into the Pad Bek- 
 Sea, whereby , and ly means of the Melchaiipi, 
 it will be eafie to trade and have Communication 
 with China and Japan without croffing twice the 
 Line: and lofing abundance of Men. 
 
 I am fo fully convinced of what 1 fay, that 1 am 
 willing to return into America to Jhew the Way 
 unto others ; fome will blame me for this rafh 
 Z/ndertaking, but tvhy fhould / have lefs Zeal for 
 the Service of God than thofe Pious Recoileds 
 who ventured into the Kingdom ef Voxu in the 
 Eaftern part of Japan, and converted the King 
 thereof to the Knowledge of God. That Prince 
 was fo Zealous for the true Religion, that he burnt 
 8oo Idols, and fent an Ambaffador into Europe 
 with a Retinue of too Gentlemen. They embarked 
 O; 5 fcoberx 8 .1613, and arrived in Spain Novem¬ 
 ber 10.1614, beingcondutted by Father Lewis So- 
 tello a Recollell , who prefented the faid Ambaf- 
 dor to his Catholick Majefiy, and afterwards to 
 the Pope, whom he ajfured, that the King his Ma- 
 fter and mofl of his Subjetts had renounced the r 
 Idolatry and embraced the Chrijlian Religion. The 
 Reader will forgive me if I relate two or three 
 things more for the Honour of my Order. The 
 
 a 4 Francifcans 
 
1 he PREFACE. 
 
 Francifhns were the firfi who accompanied Chri 
 ftophcr Columbus into his newly differed Coin 
 try, and had the Honour to preach firfi 0 f tk 
 
 ff° t t e { g€ °- G A° dt0 - the i IndknS ‘ The Conquefi 
 of the Spaniards arrived to the higheft pitch L 
 
 the lean 1*40 and i H i, and yef no other R e . 
 
 hgious Order had been employed to bring thofe loll 
 
 Steep me ,be Ftoekcf.be Lofand thefaZfd 
 converted a great part of rite Snljeric of the Kin, 
 of Japan unto,be ChriflianFaith, & that bavin, 
 tbojegreat Modelslejore me, 1 may fay, that] 
 long to make an end of my Difcovery. 7 
 
 1 1 :at fhort paffage into China, would, 1 think 
 pr ove as advantageous to Europe, as any Difcovery 
 that has been yet made j and this is another great 
 f hr, me, for what greater fatis- 
 
 c f n * rational Being propofe to himfelf 
 l * l ° t0 Mankind, and find out fomething 
 
 uj-iuJ to his Country > Having therefore all Pow¬ 
 er, and Patents rteceffarj for my Miffion, I am re *■ 
 jor thatgreat Voyage and I hope, through the 
 m<r °f Go “ t0 } eahle to go through that Dif- 
 C! ;~ r l. and thereby convince the World of the E- 
 
 j • ’► *>f rny Intentions. 
 
 The Reader may cbferie, that the Settlement! 
 
 . {ball be made m that Country will ahfolutely 
 . ■anage y La.cks, and that fappofing the 
 
 iC -r J 1 " i ■ emfWJ S°df,art alm 
 l hey,„ve-fan of the Natives, they fhould not 
 , ave there an mb of Land to themfelvet, it lew jg 
 Uimd the Law s Of their Order ; whereas in feme 
 ether Countries , where another Order has got a 
 
 foothtg 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 footing , they are Mafters now of the Temporal as 
 well as the Spiritual, the left Lordfhips and Man¬ 
 ners belonging to them. How they have difchar- 
 ged their Spiritual Function, 1 dont know , but 
 fure lam, they have taken a great care of their Tem¬ 
 poral Intereft, as I intend to fhew in a third Vio- 
 lume, which / fhatl publifh in this City of Utrecht, 
 if it is thought convenient. 
 
 '/ Jhould have a fair opportunity to avenge my 
 felf in this Preface of certain Perfons of this very 
 Town 4 who have afperfed me with the utmoft 
 Malice , and kept for their own ufe the Money 1 
 had received from his Majefty of Great Britain, 
 and which l advanc'd to them for my Suljiftence. 
 This is a very foul Allion , and worthy to be pub¬ 
 lic kly taken notice of ; but my Religion teaching 
 me to forgive my Enemies , / follow that Precept , 
 and do heartily forgive them.) 
 
 JL 
 
 THE 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Ah Account of M. de la Sailed Vndertakin 7 to dif 
 cover the River Mefchafipi by the Gulphif 
 Mexico, and his eftablifhing a fmaU Colony It 
 the Bay of St. Lewis, p x 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Ah Account of feveral Misfortunes that befell M. 
 de la Salle at the Bay of St. Lewis, p. 9 
 
 CHAP. HI. 
 
 A Continuation of the Misfortunes of M. de la Salle, 
 mth an Account of two Voyages he undertook to 
 find out the Country of the Illinois, p. 1 6 
 
 C H A P. IV. 
 
 A Continuation of M. de la Salle’s Voyage andDif 
 
 Cents'* ^ h ° W ^ mS receiv ^ ty the Savages 
 1 ? ^uT. p. 21 
 
 CHAP 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 XT 
 
 CHAP- V. 
 
 A jhort Defer, ption of Fort Lewis, of it, advan¬ 
 tageous Situation , and of the Fertility f ^ 
 Country about it, P’ a 
 
 C H A P. VI. 
 
 An Account of M. de la Salle’s fecond Voyage from 
 the Bay of St. Lewis to the Illinois, P* 3° 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 M de la Salle and three more are unfortunately 
 murtherd by Jome of their own Party. P-35 
 
 CHAP. VIII; 
 
 The Author s Reflexions upon the Life 
 
 of M. de la Salle, whofe Murtherers kill done 
 
 another . P * ** 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The Cenis permit M. Cavelier the Prieft, and 
 Father Anaftafms, with their Company tocon - 
 time their Journey thorough feveral barbarous 
 
 Nations. P - 41 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 rt v Fovace of the Sieur Cavelier a Prieft , and 
 ’ Fathef Anaftata a Recoiled in a Pyrogue » 
 
i he CONTENTS. 
 
 £ /f w olfirv * ims 
 
 p. 4 6 
 
 CHAP. XI. , 
 
 Reflctltom of the Author oh the rotate to rhin. 
 on,he Belief of m Jl of,he *££*$£{ 
 
 America couteru eg the Creation of the wild 
 tutd the Immortality of the Soul, p 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Of the tnofl proper means to convert the Savazes • 
 
 * nfjj^ T t0 a h ° m the Mi ^ies ought to 
 refufe or admimfler Baptifm,, p 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Th e Barha riam of the Northern America dent 
 
 tm&T 0f,h ‘ tr,,e " MSn ‘ h ‘f T "- 
 
 ’ p. 6$ 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Of ‘he gnat difficulties in converting the Savages: 
 
 *f the Prayers they get Ij Rote, and of Martyr- 
 
 £0m > p.6 9 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 The manner of Feafling among the Savages, p. 71 
 
 I CHAP. 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 Of the wanner of adopting the Europeans amongfi 
 the Savages , P -74 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 Of the Marriages of the Savages in North Ame¬ 
 rica, P -77 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Of the Remedies which the Savages administer to 
 the Sick: they have Mountebanks among them; 
 their Opinion of Infant- B apt ifm when the Author 
 liv'd there , p. 8i 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 Of the Conflitution or Temper of the Savages, p. 8 j 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 Defcription of the Savages that gonaked, and thofe 
 that do not, p. 88 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 Of the Games, and Sports of the Savages , p. 9 c 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 The manner of making War among the Savages, 
 
 they 
 
 * 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 they are very much given to Revenge , p. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 Of the Cruelty of the Savages in general, and 
 particularly of the Iroquois, p, 9 g 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 Of the Policy of the Savage Iroquois, p. foj 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 Of the manner of the Savages hunting of all forts of 
 Beafts, and of the admirable Induftry of the 
 Call or s or Beavers, 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 Of their manner of filing, , p. IO p 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 Of the Vten fils of the Savages in their Calbins, 
 and of their extraordinary manner they flrike 
 Fire, « 
 
 CHAP. XXVIH. 
 
 Of the manner of their interring their dead ; of 
 the Feaflival of the dead, with fame Reflexions 
 concerning the Immortality of the Soul, p. 115 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 % 
 

 
 The CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 Of the Superflit tens of the Savages, and of the ri¬ 
 diculous things they believe, • p- nj 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 Of the Ohftacles that are found in the Converfion of 
 the Savages, P- I2> 3 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 Of the barbarous and uncivil Manners of the Sa¬ 
 vages, p. n8 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 Of the great Indifferency of the humours of the Sa¬ 
 vages, P* 11 3 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 Of the Beauty and Fertility of the Country of the 
 Savages, that powerful/ Colonies may he eafily 
 planted on the North and South, P -134 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 Of the Method of the Savages in their Councils; 
 againft their Enemies, and their Cruelty againfl 
 the Europeans, and how a flop may he put to 
 them, p. 14 % 
 
 CHAp. 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 Of tbl proper Method to eftaUifb good Coloeie, ■ 
 
 * p.148 
 
 CHAP. XXXVf. 
 
 Recollefls lr ^ment they gave the 
 
 p. 1 61 
 
 CHAP. XXX VII. 
 
 How the Religious of St. Francis in their Millions 
 
 Z'tJf hali,Me mrU 
 
 * p. 19 s 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII 
 
 n ‘i e f,T‘ S J that ? M *«try ought ,0 have of 
 the httle Trogrefi they fiji„%ir LabJt. 
 
 P- l 81 
 
 A 
 
luvr 
 
 JlutJic n/ur 
 
 "\jruFaU. 
 
 <5? All* 
 
 JTJ \ JlifruM rf‘ 
 
 F or I 
 
 A Tit I C A. 
 
A 
 
 VOYAGE 
 
 I NTO A 
 
 Newly Difcover’d Country 
 
 Larger than 
 
 EUROPE, 
 
 Situate between the i 
 
 Frozen Sea and New Mexico . 
 
 chap. i. 
 
 An Account of M. de la Salle V "Undertaking to difco* 
 ver the River Mefchafipi by the Gulph of Mexi¬ 
 co, and his eft abiding a fmall Colony at the 
 Bay of St. Lewis. 
 
 R Eafon ought to rule Men in all cafes, and 
 whenever they think themfelves wrong'd 
 by others, they ought, as Chriftians, to im¬ 
 pute it rather to their Pre-occupation or 
 Prejudices, than to their Malice ; and this Maxim I 
 propofe to my felf as my rule, as the Readers will 
 obferve in the following Narration. 
 
 I liv’d near three Years together as Miffionary with 
 Mr. Robert Cavelier de la Salle at Fort Katarokouy or 
 Frontenac, wheteof he was Governor and Proprie¬ 
 tor ; and during that time, we read together the Voy- 
 
 £ ages 
 
X A Voyage into North America. 
 
 ^ of John Pontius de Leon , Famphylto Narvaez. 
 Cbri/fopber Columbus, Ferdinand Soto, and feveral other 
 Travellers, the better to fit and prepare our felves 
 for the great Difcovery we intended to make. M. de 
 la Salles was a fit Man for the greateft Undertakings, 
 
 Trl^iw l , t,y rank d amon § ft the m °ft fame? 
 Travellers that ever were, as it will appear to whom¬ 
 soever will confider that he fpent his own Eftate a- 
 bout the greateft, moft important, and moftperillous 
 Difcovery that has been yet made; which he under¬ 
 took with a handfull of Men, whom he preferv’d from 
 
 r° US I Ji atlons he d ‘fc° ver ’ d , amongft whom 
 n l 2 - T erS ,’ exCe P c Colum ^, perifh’d Iwith- 
 whJh t p,n8any advanta g e fr °m their Enterprizes, 
 which however coft them above ioooooMen: fo that 
 
 fc U P f° n 1 M bo,d, y conclude,that no body, 
 
 before M. de la Salle and I, undertook fo dangerous an 
 Expedition with fo few Men. 
 
 • Our defign was to endeavour to find out, if pofli- 
 ble, a Paflage from the Northern to the South Sea 
 without crofting the Line, which a great many have 
 hitherto fought in vain. The River Mefcba/pi does 
 notmdeed run that way,but however M.de laSalle was 
 in hopes to difeover by the means of the Mefcbaftpi, 
 iome other River running into the South Sea, and 
 knowing his great Courage and Ability, I don’t que- 
 ftion but he would have fucceeded, had God been 
 pleafed to preferve his Life. As that unfortunate 
 Centleman was about it, he was murther’d : and if 
 the divine Providence has fpar'd me, ’tisit feems, that 
 I may acquaint the World with a 'fhort way to go 
 to China and Japan , which I hope may be done by 
 means of my Difcoverics: Therefore if his Majefty 
 tin \ Sat l m * orcbe States General are willing to 
 S? any , b ? d y l 6 find out that fo much talk’d of Paf- 
 fureVw k h accc mpany them, I am morally 
 ° f G0d ' We M fuccted 
 
A Voyage into North America. 3 
 
 The Country of the Illinois , and other neighbou¬ 
 ring Nations,being the Center of our Difcovery, M de 
 la Salles defign’d to fettle there a Colony; and there¬ 
 fore any Prince or State, who will purfuefo generous 
 a Defign, mult follow the fame method, ana bunt 
 Forts from Place to Place, to have an unmterrupte 
 Communication, and keep in awe the Inhabitants of 
 thefe vaft Countries. The firft thing U.dcla Salle did 
 in order thereto, was. to endeavour to find out by Sea 
 the Mouth of the Mefcbafipi, which difcharges it lelt 
 into the Gulph of Mexico , as it has been laid inmy 
 firft Volume, to fettle there a Colony, and build a 
 good Fort to be as his Magazine, and ferve as a re¬ 
 treat both by Sea and Land in cafe of any mithap. 
 He made his Propofals to the French King s Council; 
 which were perus’d and approv’d by Monfieur de 
 Seipvelay Secretary and Minifter ol State, and Inten¬ 
 ded General of the Commerce and Navigation of 
 France , bismoft Chriftian Majefty approved like wife 
 his Defign, gave him all necefiary Authority, and 
 fupply’d him with Ships, Men and Money. . 
 
 M. de la Salle having obtain’d what he defir d jfrom 
 the King, thought of chufing able Milfionaries to con¬ 
 vert thofe barbarous and wild Nations unto the Chri¬ 
 ftian Religion, and refolv’d to ufe two different Or¬ 
 ders; but as this choice was a nice and difficult thing, 
 he apply’d himfelf to Monfieur 1ronfon Superiour oj 
 the Seminary of St. Sulpicm at Paris , who appointed 
 three Men of great Vertue, Zeal and Capacity to at¬ 
 tend M Je la Salle as Milfionaries; thefe wereM pw- 
 Iter Brother to la Sallesfli Chefdeville a Relation 
 of his, and M. Majulle, Prieftsin the faid Seminary. 
 
 I had attended M. de la Salle near twel ve Years in 
 the Difcovery of Louiftana, and father Zenobe t and 
 Gabriel de la Ribourde and my felf had like wife accom¬ 
 panied him into the Country of the llhnots, where 
 Gabriel was murthered by the Savages, therefore 
 
 B 2 M. 
 
4 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 yi.de la Salle refol ved to have fome Recollects to endea-' 
 vour to eftablilh the Knowledge of God in thofe vaft 
 Countries, and to that end applied bimfelf to Father 
 Hyacimh le Fewe , who was then for a fecond time 
 Provincial CommijJdry of the Province of Sr. Denys in 
 France, who granted him the Millionaries he de¬ 
 manded, viz,. Father r Z,enobe JHansbrl of Bapaurne as 
 Superiour, Father Maxime le Clerc of Lille in Flanders , 
 Anajlafe Douay of Quefnoy in Hainault, and Denys 
 Aiorcjuet of Arras, all Recolletls of the Province of 
 St. Anthony in Artois. The firft, as I have faid, had 
 been as tar as the Illinois with M. de la Salle, and I to¬ 
 ward the latter end of the Year 1679. And the begin¬ 
 ning of the following, and two Years after, viz,. 1682 
 , we 9 c withM de la Salle to the Mouth of the Mef- 
 chafipi in the Gulph of Mexico , about two Years after 
 my Difcovery. The fecond Father had been five 
 Years Milfionary in Canada , and had performed the 
 Fundtions of his Miniftry with great Diligence and 
 muchEdification,efpecia!ly in the Million of the Seven 
 IJlands and Antieojli. Father Douay , who is now Vi¬ 
 car of the Recollects of Camhray , had never been in A- 
 merica, no more than Father Denys, who fell fo lick 
 three daysafter he went on board, that he was forced 
 to go a-fliore and return intohis Province. 
 
 The Provincial of the Order acquainted with this 
 Million the Congregation de propaganda fide, to obtain 
 the Power and Authority neceflary for that Enter- 
 prize, who lent a Decree according to the ufual Form; 
 and Pope Innocent XI. added a Brief thereunto, con¬ 
 taining feveral Powers and Commilfions in \6 Ar¬ 
 ticles , that are ufiialiy granted to Millionaries going 
 into remote Countries, where they cannot referr cer¬ 
 tain Cafes to Bifhops. The Bifhop'of Quebec oppos’d 
 it with all his Inrcreft, but Cardinal d’Etreet Ihew’d, 
 that his Oppofition Has unrealonable,feeingtheCoun- 
 try where thefe Millionaries were to preach tht 
 
 Golpel 
 
A Voyage into North America. 5 
 
 Gnfoel was 1000 Leagues diftant from Quebec. 
 
 The advantages they expeded in f rance J TC ™ 
 Difcovery were (b great, that feveral you^ Gentle- 
 men offer’d themfelves to accompany M. it la Salle 
 as Volunteers, tho’ they knew him only by the cha- 
 rader I had given of him in my Description oiLout- 
 SI which lpublifh’d after my return into France. 
 This alfo gain'd him thecfteem of 
 which was very advantageous to him. That Mi 
 fter lent for me feveral times to difeourfe with him a- 
 bout the circumftances of our l^fcovery* whKh l told 
 him fincerely, concealing only my Difcovery of n 
 Courfe of the Mefcbafi# from the Rlv JF° ft ^fof 
 to the Gulphof Mexico, out of pure J.mdne6for >1. 
 
 dek Salle, who thereby recommended hjmfelf to the 
 
 favour of the late Prince of Com and Monfieur Sag- 
 
 M things being thus favourably difpofed, M. Jeja 
 Salle chofe twelve Gentlemen, whoappear d to him 
 vigorous, and like to bear the Fatigues of that Voyage, 
 andamongli .hem, tarcok .woof Ih,so«»n Nephe*. 
 'Viz. Mr. Moranger and Mr. Cavelier , tho this laft 
 but fourteen Years of Age. One Mertm, Son to a 
 rich Merchant of Rachel, went alfo with him. In 
 the mean time, they fitted out in that Harbour h.s 
 fmall Fleet, which confifted of four bhips, the 
 Toby, one of the King’s Men of War; the Hanifim, 
 a fmall Frigot ; a Fly-Boat, call’d l Aimable, and a 
 KeTch, 3d St. Francis The Man of War was 
 commanded by Monfieur ie Beaujeu, a Gentleman of 
 Normandy, with whom I have had feveral Comxrfa- 
 tions fince his return, at Dunkirk This Officer is 
 known by his great Services and long Experience, as 
 well as his Lieutenant, the Chevalier Je Here, who is 
 now Captain of a Man of War. The Enfign was 
 called ie Hamel , a Gentleman of Bretatgny , of a ftrong 
 and vigorous Conftitution. It were to be wiflaed tbat 
 
 8 } M elerir eierfw ■ * 
 
6 AViyage into North America. 
 
 the Crew of the Ships, as well as the Soldiers, had an 
 fwered the Character of the Officers; but while M* 
 Ae la Salle was at Court, thofe whom he employed to 
 make his Levies, lifted about i 5 o poor Beggars, de¬ 
 formed, lame, and unfit for the hard Services they 
 were defign d for: He bad aifo defir’d them to engage 
 Men of feveral Profeffions, as Blackfmiths, Carpen¬ 
 ters, Joyners, Mafons, and the like; but when he 
 came to try them, he found rhey were dull and ig. 
 norant Creatures, fo that he was forced to find out 
 new Soldiers and Workmen, which took up much of 
 
 ofliS f am>UeS ° f the Nei g*^urhood 
 
 2 ! y el off 5 F d themfelves to go with him to fettle a 
 Colony, which he accepted, and advanc’d them 
 
 wasthou * ht moft tofcyfor 
 
 His Preparations being fini/hed, the Fleet failed 
 />/ 1684 from Rod* el, but a violent Storm ob- 
 
 ig u t jem to come back, and they continued in the 
 
 tS 5 ’ l ha * rhey fail>d for St ***** 
 
 » K r Ct Wlfl , an ? cher Storm on 14 of September, 
 
 which feparared the Fleet ; the Fly-boat remain’d 
 alone with the Fngar, and arriv’d together at Petit* 
 G**™, where they found the Toby, and heard that 
 tne bt. trancis , on board which were their Merchan- 
 dizes, was arriv’d at Tort de Paix. The bad Wea¬ 
 ther being over, the Ketch failed for Pent-Guave,, 
 the Rendezvous of the Fleet,butwas unhappily taken 
 in her way by the Spanifl, Cruifers. 
 
 I remember that in our Converfations at Fort Froth 
 fenac, yi.de la >W/ftold me feveral times,that'bewould 
 die fatisfied and contented, could he but make himfelf 
 Walter of the Mine of St. Barbe in New Mexieo ■ I gave 
 mm no anfwer at firft, but feeing that he repeated it 
 go often, tho I knew I was a Subjeftofthe King of 
 
 SffnL l C r U fl d e not forbeat t0 exprefs my Affedtion 
 Ipr my lawfull Sovereign, and told him, that tho’I 
 
 was 
 
A Voyage into North America. / 
 
 was with him 1 had not forgot my Native Country- 
 concluding my anfwer^with thefe words, 
 
 VatZ This was perhaps the fir ft caufe ot all the hard- 
 
 which I might therefore have avotdeu, had I been c 
 pable of diffembling, as the Generality of NJankmd 
 do But to return to M, la Salks the lof» of t 
 Ketch was of a fatal confequence to him, not fomuch 
 for the value of the Merchandizes, but becaufe the 
 Spaniards had notice of hisdefigns agamft th^Mmes^ 
 M. la Salles was hardly recover d of a dangerous 
 Diftemper, when thofe unhappy Tydings were 
 brought to him, and was like to relapfeupon that oc- 
 cafion ; but the reft of his company being not as cou- 
 ragious as he, were quite dif-fpirit^, and negleOed^H) 
 keep the Soldiers under a fevere Difciphnb whegi¬ 
 ving up themfelves to the Lewdnefs and Diffoluteneft, 
 
 (o common irf thofe lflands, contracted fuch Diftfim 
 pers that a great many died before they eft Perrfc- 
 Guaves, and the other continued fickly all their Lite. 
 As foon as M. la Salles was able to walk abroad, he 
 made his Preparations for leaving the Ifland, and by 
 the afiiftance of Monfieur de St. Laurence Governour 
 General ofthefW lflands, and Monfieur Began, 
 Intendent of the lame; he put his Fleet m a conditi¬ 
 on to fail from thence, November 15,1684, having ta 
 ken on board all forts of Refrelhments, a greatquan- 
 tity of Indian Corn, and of all fprts of tame Beafts to 
 flock the new Country they were going to ‘ n “ ablt - 
 They fail’d along the lflands of Cawiano,and touch d 
 at the Ifland of 'Pw«for frelh Water,and from thence 
 fail’d to St. Anthony in the lflapd 1 of Cuba, where they 
 anchor’d. The Sweetnefs and Situation of that place 
 invited them to land, and they found a good. Store 
 of Refrelhments, and even forae Wine which the 
 had left in chat place, having ™n away wfth 
 
 too greata Precipitation. They continued thereat wo 
 
8 A Voyage into North America, 
 
 day^and then fail'd, fteering towards theGulphof 
 
 harditft ^ al f e was a very undemanding Man and 
 uardly to be miposd upon, yet he was deceive ? 
 fcnie Men Of St. Domingo, and it wLt£ $ 8 ? 1 * & 
 that he fteer’da wrong Courfe Tvhfr 
 that the Northern Winds were ve% S±l° ,d h ' m 
 the entrance of the GuJph. and this fear «ki C v? U l at 
 to return thence upon the Coaft of Cuba • b£f at feft 
 he overcame ali Difficulties, and got into’ the G .il? 
 
 ftrona u e the y were furpriz’d bv a 
 
 wrong Wind, which parted the Fleer th *tl i. a 
 
 mg off from the Coaft, and the FrL a „d 1 S 1 ' 
 
 $“>•'iff'“f^Gilphmnswithagw 
 foLhlmfeffmfftatem aSft thereby TS'att 
 
 [or thinking he was too far to the North 
 
 of the *Mr°h ft*”%i a * t0 ' and overf hot the Mouth 
 Coaft o T |? ey , were undeceiv'd by ? e 
 
 Ae“f* ar d’ a h d ^ ,in ® " ke "*«Elevmion of the Pok 
 •hey found they were within jo Leagues of She kil 
 
 wa.^teedtoietthettcLfefS’aaoS- 
 
 off they found a large Bay,which they called StUwu 
 » Sand at me Mouth o^mS laSaUl S? f®B " 
 
 CHAP. 
 

9 
 
 A yoyage into North America. 
 
 C A P. II. 
 
 An Account of fever al Misfortunes that he fell M. 
 de la Salle at the Bay of St. Lewis. 
 
 M LaSalles had exprefsly forbid theCa ptam of the - 
 • Fly-boat to attempt to come into the Bay, 
 without having on board the Pilot of theFrtgat, who 
 was an experienc’d Man; and fora greater fecunty 
 he had commanded him to unlade his Guns into the 
 Pinnace to make his Ship the lighter; yet that Brute 
 neglcded thofe Orders and Advice, and without ta¬ 
 king any notice of the Marks or Poles they had pla¬ 
 ced on the Sands to (hew him the Channel, and the 
 Advice of the Seamen, he fail’d his Ship at random, 
 and ran her againft a Sand where (lie remain d: M.« 
 la Salle was a-fhore, and fearing the fate of his Ship, 
 was going on board to fave her, but was prevented by 
 about no Savages who came to attack him: He put 
 his Men in a pofture of defence, but the noife alone 
 of the Drums put the Savages to flight: M. de la Salle 
 follow’d them and prefented them the? Calumet 
 of Peace, which thev accepted, and came along with 
 him to his Camp, where he entertain’d them, and 
 fent them back with fome Prefents; they werefo 
 pleas’d, that they brought fome Provifions the next 
 day, and made Alliance with M. de la Salle , whereby 
 they engag’d thetnfelvesto fupply him with fomePy- 
 rogues or wooden Canou’s: That Alliance would 
 likely have proved very advantageous to M.is la Salle, 
 had not an unforefeen Accident broke that good In¬ 
 
 telligence. Vt’ll.A.'rtw t i rfaiq atffvtra 
 
 As they were unlading the Fly boat which had 
 
 ftruck upon the Sand to endeavour to get her off, a 
 Pack of Blankets fell into the Sea, which the Waves 
 
 drove 
 
io * A Voyage into North America. 
 
 drove upon the fhore: The Savages found it, and 
 M.Je la Salle having notice thereof,fent to demand it of 
 them in a very civil manner. They fhe w'd force Re- 
 ludtancy, whereupon the Officer inhead of afting 
 the prudent part, threatned to kill them, unlefsthev 
 reftor'd it immediately. They were Co frighted and 
 incens'd againft them, that they refolv’d to be a- 
 veng’d of that Affront; and in order thereto,got toge¬ 
 ther in the Night time between the 6 and 7 of March 
 and march'd to furprize the French Camp. They ad¬ 
 vanc'd as nea r as they would, the Sentry being afleep 
 and made a difchargeof their Arrows which killed 4 
 Gentlemen Officers and Volunteers, and wounded 
 M .Moranger and another Volunteer. The French 
 ran to their Arms, and fired upon the Savages, who 
 run away tho' none was wounded; they found the 
 next day two of Nl.de la Sailed Men whom they mur- 
 thered as they were fleeping. 
 
 In the mean time they unladed the Fly-boat, which 
 was too far funk to be got off, and faved moft of the 
 Goods, and as they were endeavouring to lave the 
 reft, fhe was dafhed in Pieces by the violence of the 
 Wind and Waves, and feveral Men were in great 
 danger of being drowned, but by the Grace of God 
 allefcap'd. 
 
 Monfieur Beaujeu feeing all the Goods, and Mer¬ 
 chandizes landed, and a Fort almoft finifhed, failed 
 she 12th of March for Fra nee find M.</e laSallt having 
 fortified his Magazine or Fort, which they call Ban- 
 g*r, left 100 men under the Command of his Nephew 
 M. Moranger , for the defence of it; and with the reft, 
 5 °j and 3 Miffionaries, viz,. M. Cavelier , and 
 Father Zenobe and Maxime , advanced into the Coun¬ 
 try following the Bay, in hopes to find the Me[cba~ 
 ppi- The Captain of the Frigat was ordered to 
 found at the fame time the Channel, and bring his 
 Ship as high as be could with fafety, which he did, 
 
 and 
 
f A Voyage into North America. r i 
 
 and brought his Ship to an Anchor at a place which 
 was call’d Hurier, from the name of the Officer who 
 was left at that place for the Security of that Port, 
 which was abfolutely neceffary to maintain the Com¬ 
 munication between the firft Habitation, and another 
 M. de la SaHe made on the ad of April at the bottom 
 of the Bay upon the Banks of a fine River, which was 
 called The River of the Cowt, becaufe of the vaft nym-. 
 ber of thofe Beafts that were difcover d in thofe parts. 
 The Savages came to attack our Men, but were lo 
 warmly receiv’d, that they retir'd without doing the 
 
 Fr On the a i ft,being E*/?*-Eve,M. de la Salk return’d 
 to the firft Camp, and the next day was (pent in De- 
 votions- but the 23d they began to carry aft the Ef¬ 
 fects from the two Forts, to the Settlement M. 
 de la Salles had made upon the River above-menti- 
 on’d, and when they had made an end of it, they ra¬ 
 zed the faid Forts. They had Town feme Pulfe and 
 Corn, but either the Soil was not good, or elfe the 
 Seed was fpoil’d by Salt Water, for it did not rife at 
 all. M. de la Straight have remembred what l had 
 formerly told him in our Voyage to the 11 knots, that 
 Corn and other Seeds which we bring from Europe, 
 muft either be in their Ears or Hulls,for other wife they 
 lofe their Vertue at Sea, and cannot grow in a Soil 
 that was never cultivated before. 
 
 They built a Fort in a very advantageous Poft, 
 with fo much diligence, that it was in a few days in a 
 good Pofture of Defence, being defended by it Pieces 
 of Cannon They made a greatMagazine underground 
 to preferve their Goods and Provifion from Fire. It 
 is to be obferved that the Forts in America, I mean 
 fuch as I fpeak of now, require not fo much Art and 
 Labour, as in Europe, fince the Savages have no Ar¬ 
 tillery to attack them. They are lb afraid of Fire- 
 Arms, that none of thofe Nations ever durft attack 
 
ii A Voyage into North America. 
 
 thefe mean Fortifications, except the Iroquois, who 
 attempted to force the French in their Intrenchments 
 in the Ifland of Orleans, now called St. Lawrence near 
 Quebec. The French had fortified themfelves with Pal- 
 lifadoes, which the Iroquois fet on Fire, and to cover 
 themfelves againft rhe French in their Approach,every 
 one of them carry’d before him a thick Plank or board 
 Musket-proof, and thereby forced the French to leave 
 their Entrenchments. They ufe alfo another Strate- 
 gem againft our Forts, unlefs they are defended by 
 fome Pieces of Cannon to keep them off; they tyeto 
 their Arrows a lighted March, and then (hoot them in 
 fuch manner, as to make them fall on the Top or 
 Roof of the Forts, which is made of Planks, and 
 thereby fet them on Fire. M. de la Salle , who knew all 
 neir Artifices, took alfo all imaginable Precautions 
 to difappoint them, which he did by covering the 
 Roof with green Turf. 
 
 In the mean time, his men grew (b fickly, that a 
 great many died in a few days, notwithftanding they 
 were carefully look'd after, and fupplied with proper 
 Remedies, and befides this misfortune, he was forc’d 
 to make an open War againft the Savages. On the 
 9 th of Augufi three of his men were gone a (hooting 
 there being abundance of Game in thofe Parts. The 
 noifeof their Guns gave notice of their Approach to 
 the Savages, who immediately got together in great 
 numbers and furrounded the three Europeans, who 
 m themfelves in a readinefs to fight, and killed with 
 the firft (hot the General of the Savages. This fad 
 accident terrified them fo much, that they ran away 
 notwithftanding the Difproportion«in number. They 
 continued lurking about the Fort, and kill'd a French 
 raa _[* w * 1 ° had ad vane*d too far into the Woods. 
 
 M. de la Salle feeing no way to bring them to an Al¬ 
 liance, refolved to .make War upon them to oblige 
 tnera to come to Peace, and fupply him with their 
 
 Fyrogtus 
 
A Voyage into North America. 13 
 
 Pymua or Wooden Canou’s which he wanted. 
 Therefore fet out from his Fort on the i ;th of Oc c- 
 b’r with 60 ftout Men to look for the Savages, ha¬ 
 ving provided them with a kind of Becaft-pjece of 
 Wood, to cover them againft the Arrows of the Sa¬ 
 vages. He was not far advanced when he found the 
 Savages incamped, with whom he had feveral Skir- 
 miflies, killing and wounding a great many, and re¬ 
 turned with many Prifoners, efpecially young Chil¬ 
 dren; amongft whom was a Gill of about four Years 
 of Age, which was Chriftened, and diedfome Days 
 
 aft While M.de la Salle was building and perfefting his 
 Fort, thofe Families he had brought to begin a Colo¬ 
 ny, grnbb’d up the Land, and fowed feveral forts 
 of Corn and Pulfe, which they had brough t in their 
 Ear and Hulls, which fucceeded very well. They 
 made fome Cannons, and eroded over to the other 
 fide of the Bay, where they found a fine River, and 
 a prodigious Number of wild Oxen and Turkeys. 
 The tame Beads they had brought from St. Dommgo , 
 as Cows, Hogs, and Fowls multiplied very much; 
 and in fhort The fmall Colony began to thrive, fince 
 the War had removed the Savages from their Habi¬ 
 tations, and ’tis likely that U.deU Salle would have 
 fucceeded, had not a new Misfortune worfe than alt 
 the former, difappomted his Noble Defigns. 
 
 M. dela Salle had often entertain d me with the un- 
 heard of Cruelties exercifed by the Spaniards in New 
 Mexico, and Peru, againft the Inhabitants of thofe 
 vaft Empires, whom they deftroyed as much as evef 
 they could, prefervingonty their Children to make 
 new People He exclaimed againft that Cruelty of 
 the Spaniards , as unworthy of Men of Honour, and 
 contrary to the Doftrine of the Chnfhan Religion. I 
 blamed them my felf; but yet I offered now and 
 then fome Reafons to excufe them, as the Neceilities 
 
 they 
 
*4 A Voyage into North America.' 
 
 * ‘*? e y fol,nd themfelves under of exterminating thofe 
 Rations, or pending themfelves, and forfeiting their 
 Conqueft; for whenever they thought themfelves 
 lafe, they were fuddenly invaded by great Armies 
 and therefore in a perpetual Danger. M. de la Salle 
 experienced himfelf that Neceffity in Canada, for the 
 Savages do not underftand the Doctrine of forgiving 
 or forgetting Injuries; and notwithftanding all Trea- 
 
 or S n^hir eaC Th th w y W ‘l r r evenge themfelves one time 
 pr other. 1 he French of Canada have done all that 
 
 is poflible, humanly fpeaking, to gain the Friendfhip 
 ®/j V-iT'Vf have not been able to heal 
 has tl B ?K aCh c that happened between them, which 
 J|f£ ,^ en * he Sour “ of many Wars, which lafts at 
 .this very time •, whereas that barbarous People has 
 never had any quarrel with the Dutch inhabiting 
 
 ii’S ,b M aUfe ? efe have always ufed them very kindly, 
 diirembling fome infignificanr Injuries, or accepting 
 
 IwJv f fi I8f ^r ,0n ‘ ^‘ de l aSalle knew better than any 
 Body the Temper of the Savages, and the Methods 
 
 howto gam them ^therefore I wonder that he would 
 make Wars upon the Neighbours of his new Colony, 
 for this was almoft an infallible way to ruineitj and 
 cut off the hope of the Converfion of thofe ignorant 
 thar m S * v F r 0m ?$£ obforvaciotig we may conclude, 
 and C , hanty fo dpi recommended in 
 5 ® ftPf. , A. are tW0 Vertoes abfolutply neceflary for 
 the euablilhment otColonies in thofe newCountries; 
 or otherwife the new Inhabitants mult deftroy the 
 .Ancienr, or be deftroyed by them, either of which is a 
 Cruel Neceffity unworthy of a Chriftian. M. de la Sail» 
 ° r dered the iCa p tain of theFrigatto found the 
 hJL’f an< ^ u° X u ^ er . none of his Men to lie a-flioar; 
 
 L - ve J Captain himfelf, and fix of his bell Men 
 win? charmpd Wlt , h the Sweetnefs of the Country 
 
 O wze wte Jeav,ng their Canou’s upon the 
 >th their Arms, went into a Meadow where 
 
 they 
 
A Voyage into North America. i $ 
 
 they fell afleep, and were murthered by the Sava¬ 
 ges, who broke their Arms and Cdnou. This fad Ac¬ 
 cident put the Colony in a dreadfull Confternation. 
 
 M de la Salle having buried his Men,refolv’d to travel 
 along theCoaft tofind out the Mouth of th eMefcbaJbi, 
 and having left the Inhabitants and Soldiers who 
 were to remain in the Fort, 1st out with 10 >Icn, 
 and M. Cavelier his Brother. 
 
 This Bay of St. Lewis is formed by feveral Rivers, 
 and lies in the Latitude of 27 Degrees 45 Minutes. 
 None of thefe Rivers was broad and deep enough to 
 be an Arm of the Mefchafiptfcw. M. de la Salle thought 
 they might be Branches of one of the Arms of that 
 River, therefore he refolved to follow one of them, 
 which coft him a world of Trouble, for he found fe¬ 
 veral other Rivers running into that, too deep to be 
 forded, which they croffed, laying together feveral 
 Branches of Trees, of which they made ufe m- 
 ftead of Boats. They met with feveral Nations of 
 Savages.and were forced to entrench themfelves every 
 Nighr, for fear of being furprifed. The continual 
 Rains that fell during his Voyage, made the ways 
 very bad, and fwell’d feveral fmall Rivulets, which 
 increafed his Trouble. At laft, on the 1 ;th of Febru¬ 
 ary , he thought to have found his lb much wifh’d for 
 River; and having 4fiigified a Poll on its Bank, and 
 left part of his Met* for its fecurity ; he advanced 
 farther into the Country, which appeared unto him 
 the moft delicious and fertile that ever he faw. He 
 vifited feveral rations who received him with much 
 Humanity, and returned to his Fort on the jift of 
 March , charmed with bis Difcovery. 
 
 The fatisfafiion be exprefled upon this account 
 can hardly be exprefled, but the Grief which the 
 lofs of his Frigac caufed him, over-ballancM it. 
 This was the only Ship left unto him, with which he 
 intended to fail in few Days for St. Domngc , to 
 
 bring 
 
9 
 
 1 6 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 bring a new Supply of Men and Goods to carry on 
 bis Defign; butit ran unfortunately a ground through 
 the Negligence of the Pilot, and was dafh’d in pieces. 
 All the Men were drowned except the Sieur Qbtfde - 
 •villt one of the Miflionaries, the Captain and 4 Sea¬ 
 men; the Goods, Linen, and Cloath of the Colony, 
 with the Provifions and Tools were abfolutely loft. 
 M. de la Salle was a Man of an extraordinary Courage, 
 and unparalleled Conftancy; yet ’tis likely he would 
 have funk under this Misfortune, had not God alfi- 
 fted him in an extraordinary manner. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 A Continuation of the Misfortunes of M. de la Salle, 
 with an Account of two Voyages he undertook to 
 find out the Country of the Illinois. 
 
 T Hofe who have converted with Accounts of new 
 Difcoveries, are convinced that thofe who take 
 upon them fb difficult a Task, are obliged to do a 
 thoufand things, which prove utelefs and unnecefla- 
 ry; for looking for the right way, and no body be¬ 
 ing there to (hew it unto them, ’tis no wonder if they 
 mi flake it. And as to the Misfortunes that befell the 
 worthy (Gentleman l fpeak of, it is nothing but what 
 he, or any body elfe that (hall go about the like En- 
 terprife, muft expeft with a very inconfideraWe Dif¬ 
 ference. The pious Defign he was upon, in relation 
 to the Conversion of thofe ignorant Nations, defer- 
 ved it teems a better Fate; but as God’s ways are 
 not our ways, we muft fubmit to Divine Providence, 
 without troubling our felves about a vain inquiry into 
 the Secrets of God Almighty. M. de la Salle who was 
 a good Chriftian, knew admirably well the Practice 
 
 of 
 
A Voyage into North America. 17 
 
 of this Doflrine, and without being dejefled by the 
 Misfortunes already mention’d, herel'olved to go on 
 with his Difcovery. 
 
 As I am more concern’d than any body elfe to know 
 whetherM Salle had really difcover’d ihsMefcba- 
 foi, when he return’d into Canada over land, becaufe 
 i am the firft European that ever traveled upon thac 
 River, I have carefully perufed all the printed Ac¬ 
 counts of his Voyage, as alfo-private Memoirs, but 
 after all, l found that the account publifhed by Fa¬ 
 ther Anaftafe is the moft exaft, and may be depended 
 upon. 
 
 M .Je la Salle feeing all his Affairs ruin’d by the lofs 
 of his Ships, and having no way to return into Europe 
 but by Canada , refolved upon fo dangerous a Jour¬ 
 ney, and took zo men along with him, with one Sa¬ 
 vage oall’d Nitana, that is to fay, Companion of the 
 Natioivof Cboumon. This man had follow’d him into 
 France , and had given fuch proofs of his Affection to 
 his Mafter on feveral nice occalions, that he relied 
 more upon him than»upon any European. M Cavelier* 
 M.Mor«»ger,and Father Anaftafe defir’d likewife to ac¬ 
 company him. They took four Pound of Powder, 
 Shot in Proportion, two Axes, two Dozen of Knives, 
 feveral Pound of Raftdde or Glafs Beads, and two 
 Kettles to boil their Meat, contenting himlelf with 
 tbefe Provifions, in hopes to find out eafily the Illinois 
 and return in a fhort time. Having aflifted at the di¬ 
 vine Service in the Chapel of the Fort to implore 
 God’s Mercy and Pioiettion, he fet out the lid of 
 April* 1686 direfling his March to the North Eaft, 
 for the Mefebafipt running direfUy fromthe North 
 to the South, into the Gulph of Mexico* the Country 
 of the llUnou is fituared to the N. E. of the place 
 where M. de la Salle left. 
 
 »Tis likely that they wanted Pyrogues and Ca¬ 
 llous, fince Father Anaftafe makes no mention of any, 
 
 C and 
 
18 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 and ’tis likely that M. dela Salle was not furethat he 
 had found out the Mouth of the M&fchafipi , for then 
 he might have eafily met with the Illinois by means 
 of that River, knowing that the River of the Illinois 
 runs into the Mefchaftpi. 
 
 After'three days March, they difcovet’d the fineft 
 Champaign Country in the World, and were met by 
 a great many men on Horfe-back, with Boots, Spurs 
 and Saddles. This Nation invited them to come to 
 their Habitations, but M.de laSalle having takenfome 
 Informations from them concerning his way, thank'd 
 them for their kindnefs, and would not accept of their 
 Offers. The Reader may judge, that all this was 
 rranfadted by ligns, for they did not underhand one 
 • another. The Equipage of the Nation fheweth they 
 had Commerce with the Spaniards. Our men ha¬ 
 ving continued their March all the day long, iricamp'd 
 upon a rifing ground, which they fortified by 1 catting 
 down Home Trees to avoid any Surprize. 
 
 Having march d two days through vaft Meadows, 
 they came upon the Banks of a River which they 
 called Robeck, where they found fuch numbers of wild 
 Oxen, call d by the Spaniards Cibola y that the leaft 
 Drove confided of about 400: They killed ten of 
 them, and retted two or three days to broil the Meat 
 for the reft of their Voyage. 
 
 Within a League and a half from the Rebeck they 
 met with another River broader and deeper than 
 the Seine before Paris , its Banks being adorn’d with 
 great Trees, lb well difpos’d by Nature, that they 
 feem as many Walks artificially planted. One fide 
 of the River is cover’d with Woods, and the other is 
 a continued Meadow. They were oblig'd to cut 
 Blanches of Trees and tie them together to crofsit 0- 
 ver. They call’d it the Wicked. The Country be¬ 
 tween this Wicked River and another they met few 
 ays after, is full of Trees, bearing all forts of Fruit, 
 
A Voyage into North America^ *9 
 
 and efpecially of Mulberry-trees, bur the Vines are 
 fo common, that the whole Teems a Vineyard, and 
 the higheft Trees are cover'd with them. I hey 
 call’d the laft River Hum, becaufe one of them, a 
 German by Birth, of the Country of Hamburg, ftucfc 
 fo fall in the Mud, that they had much ado to get 
 
 tiim off 
 
 'The Raft or floating-boat ofBranchcs, which they 
 commonly us’d to crols the Rivers, taking up much 
 of their time, and this River being narrow, M. de la 
 Salle caus'd one of his men to Iwim over with an Ax, 
 to fell down a Tree, while they fell another on 
 their fide, and thefe two Trees meeting together, 
 made a kind of Bridge ; this way was both Tale* and 
 eafier, and therefore they always made ufe of it, 
 whenever the narrownefs of theRtver would permit ir f 
 WlJe ta Salle alter’d here his courfe,marching diredt- 
 lv to the Eaftward. As he told no body the reasons 
 of it, it is impofiible to know what was his motive; 
 that Man was fecret to a fault, and likely would have 
 profpet’d better, had he been fomewhat more com¬ 
 municative. After Tome day s March through a pjea- 
 fant Country, they found another, which,according 
 to their account, may be call’d the Paradife of the 
 World, inhabited by a numerous Nation, who re 
 ceiv’d them with all imaginable marks tfYttegg# 
 andKindnefs; their Women embrac d them ch^ar- 
 fully, and caus'd them to lit upon Tome fine Mats 
 near their Captains, who prefented them their Calu- : 
 "Tr of Peace, adorn’d with Feathers oOeveral Co¬ 
 lours and wherein they defir d them to fmoak. They 
 prefented them afterwards with a Dtfit oi 
 which is a kind of Pap made with the Root 0: a Shrub 
 call’d Time or To^uo, which looks like a Bnar with- 
 out Thorns: Its Root is very big, and having wain d 
 it and dry’d it by the Sun, they pound it Mor¬ 
 tar. -This Sagamittee tafig pretty well 
 
2.0 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 neft Savages prefented them with fome Skins of wild 
 Oxen finely drefl and good for Shooes, which are ve¬ 
 ry necefi'ary in that Country, becaufeof fome fharp 
 cutting Herbs. M. <Je la ,W/« prefented them, in return 
 t)f their kindnefs, fome Glafs Beads of black Colour, 
 which is much valu’d arrjongft them, they continued' 
 fomedavs arftnngft thatNarion,which timeM MlaSalle 
 improv’d to give them fome Idea of the Grandeur 
 and Power of the King his Maher, whom he repre- 
 fented higher and greater than the Sun. Thefe Peo¬ 
 ple underftood fomerhing of ifc-by his Signs, and were 
 ftruck with a wonderfull Admiration. M .Cavelier 
 and Father Ana/lafe endeavour’d alfo to give them 
 foms Notions of God, but with what fuccels no body 
 can tell. 
 
 That Nation is call’d Biskatronge, but the Europeans 
 call’d them the Weeping, and their River the River of 
 Tears, becaufe when they arriv’d there, rhofe Savages 
 wept for about a quarterof an Hour. They receive 
 fo all Strangers, whom they think to come from re¬ 
 mote Countries, becaufe this puts them in mind of 
 their deceas’d Relations whom they think upon along 
 Journey, and whofe return they expcdt. That honelt 
 Peop’e gave 'Sfi JeUSalle fome Gukke,and fupply’d his 
 men with whatever they wanted.and eroded them o- 
 ver their River in. their Pyrogucs. 
 
 They paffed three or four other Rivers in three 
 days time, and met with no confiderable adventure, 
 but on the fourth day as rhey were near a Village, 
 Nikana the Savage,who attended M. 4e la Salle, (hot a 
 wild Goat, which frighted fo much the Inhabitants 
 of that Village, that they ran away. M. Jela Salle put 
 his men in a readinefe to fight, and enter’d the laid 
 Village, whichconfiiled of above ;oo Cabbins. They 
 march’d to the moll confiderable, wherein they found 
 the Wife of the chief of the Savages, who had been 
 forc’d today alone becaufeof her great Age. M Aela- 
 
 Salle 
 
 / 
 
 ' 
 
A Voyage into North America. r x 
 
 Salle made the moft fignificant Signs he could think 
 on to let her know that he was a Friend, which be¬ 
 ing perceiv’d by her three Sons, whoadvanc’d as near 
 as they could without being difeover’d, toobferve- 
 what our men would do, they brought back their 
 men, and offer’d l/LJela Salle their Calumet of Peace, 
 which being accepted, the day was concluded with 
 the Dana of the Calumet and other Demonftrations 
 
 ° f However M.<fe la Salle did not think fit to trufthim- 
 felf in their hands, and therefore refufed to lie in 
 their Cabbins. and went to encamp among fome 
 Canes or great Reeds hard by, through which it was 
 impolfible to come withoutmaking a great nolle. 1 his 
 was a Maflerpiece of Prudence, for otherwife they 
 might have been murther’d; for a Band of Savages 
 got together ro furprize them: fhe ratling noife of 
 the Canes having given notice of their Approach to 
 M. de la Salle, he awaked his men,and fpoke in fo bold 
 a Tone to the Savages that they retir’d. They left 
 that place the next day, parting ,from them very ci¬ 
 villy, and having march’d fix Leagues further, they 
 were met by another Band of Savages, who had Ears 
 of Indian Corn in their Hands; they embrac d M de 
 la Salle according to their way, and invited him by 
 Signs to go to their Village, which he contented to. 
 They made him underhand, that there was a Nation 
 to the Weft ward who deftroyed all other men; and 
 by the Defcription they made, he judged they meant 
 the Spaniards of New Mexico, with whom this Nati¬ 
 on was at War. The Village having notice of the 
 Arrival of M. de la Salle, all flock’d about them, expref- 
 f m g their joy by Signs and other Poftures, and ma- 
 ing him underftand that he would oblige them to re« 
 main with them to aflift them againft their Enemies; 
 M. de la Salle would not agree to that, but promis’d to 
 return in a ihort time, with a greater number of men; 
 
 C 3 * n 4 
 
ii A Voyage into North America. 
 
 a nd after having made them Ffbme Prefents and re¬ 
 ceiv’d other things they gave them, he left that place, 
 the Savages carrying him and all his men over their 
 River in their Pyrogues. This Nation is called Kiro- 
 novas. 
 
 They continued their March to the Eaftward 
 through fine Meadows, and three days after, having 
 left the Kircnonas , Ntkana their Savage cry’d out of 
 a fudden that he was a dead man, having been ftung 
 by a Rattlc-Snake. This fad accident oblig’d them to. 
 tarry fome days in that place : They gave him im¬ 
 mediately fome Orvietan, and having lcarified the 
 Wound, they apply’d upon it fome Salt of Vipers, 
 whereby he was recover'd. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 A Continuation of Af.de la Sailer Voyage and Dif 
 covery; and how he was receiv'd by thf Sava¬ 
 ges Cenis. 
 
 '‘"jjpliey march’d feveral days without meeting with 
 JL any Savages or any Accidents, and came to a 
 River very broad and rapid, which they judg'd to 
 be near the Sea-: They made a Raft to crols it, and 
 M. Je la Salle , and M. Cavelier , and part of his men 
 Ventur’d upon that floating Boat, which the Rapidity 
 of the Stream carry’d down with fuch a violence, 
 that they were in few minutes out of fight, leaving 
 their Comrades on the Ihore under an unfpeakable 
 Grief. Father Anaftafe comforted them as much as 
 he could, being himfelf under a great ajfli&ion ; for 
 befides their Savage, who was of great ufe to them, 
 had loft his way, and was wandering in the Woods: 
 They continued in that condition all the day, but in 
 
A Voyage into North America.. 2.3 
 
 the Evening they heard M. ^USJle hailing Miem 
 from the other Shore. Their Raft had been ftopp d 
 bv a Sand in the middle of the River, which gave 
 them time to recover their ftrength, in lo much, that 
 they matter'd the Current and got happily ever; tho 
 one of them attempting to catch a Branch of a Tree, 
 fell into the Water and was carry d away. They 
 thought him drown’d, but being an excellent Swim¬ 
 mer, and knowing it was in vaintoftnve againir tlw 
 Stream, but by degrees he was carry d down a great 
 way, and at laft got a-(hore and rejoyn d Father A- 
 najlafe and his Companion?, who having eat nothing 
 all day long, were exceeding hungry. They found 
 no Game about them, and wanting all manner of Pro- 
 vifions, they were reduc’d to a great Extremity: the 
 divine Providence, who takes care of the meaneft of 
 his Creatures, reliev’d .them alfo at this time, two 
 voung Eagles fell from a Cedar, which afforded them 
 a Meal, tho’ it was but a fmall matter for ten almoft 
 ftarv\l Travellers. 
 
 They tarry’d in that place that night, and the next 
 day they endeavour'd to croft the River, and by the 
 advice of M. dt la Salle , they made a Raft of Canes 
 which with the help of two men that Twain to defend 
 it againft the Rapidity of the Stream, they got all o- 
 ver except their Savage Being thus rejoynd they 
 march’d two days through a Forell of Canes, through 
 which they were forced to cut their way with their 
 Axes, and on the third day they found Ntkatia 
 with three wild Goats already broyld, and another 
 which he had juft kill'd. M. de la Salk ordered two 
 or three Guns to be fir’d to fhew his Joy. 
 
 Having refrefh’d themfelves they connnu d their 
 March Eaftward, travelling through a molt delicious 
 Country, where they found Savages, who had no¬ 
 thing barbarous but their Name. They met one of 
 them who came from {hooting with tus Wite and Fa. 
 
 c 4 mil y» 
 
*4 ^ Voyage into North America. 
 
 ™ily; he prefented M .de la Salle with a Horfe and 
 |°me Flcfh, defiring him by figns to go along with 
 h‘m to his Habitation, and left he fhould have any 
 Sufpicion, he left his Wife and Family with him, and 
 went to his Village, where he was accompany’d by 
 Nikana, and a Footman of M. da la Salle. They re- 
 turn’d two days after with two Horfes loaded with 
 Provifions, and acquainted their Mafter with the ci- 
 vility of that People, whofent their chief Command- 
 ders and young Warriors to complement them. They 
 were handfomly cover’d with drefs’d Skins, adorned 
 with Feathers of different Colours. M. de la Salle 
 thought fit to advance, and within three Leagues of 
 the Village he met the Savages, who prefented them 
 their Calumet of Peace in great Ceremony. They 
 conduced them in triumph to the Cabbin of their Ge¬ 
 neral, where a great number of People came to fee 
 them. M. de la Salle obferv’d that the young Warri* 
 ours mounted the Guard and were reliev’d by turns 
 The great civility of that People oblig’d M. de la Salle 
 to leave the Village and encamp about two Miles off, 
 for having obferv’d that the Women were exceeding 
 kind to them, and pretty bandfom, he was afraid his 
 men would be debauch’d, which might have been of 
 a fatal confequence. They tarry d there four days, 
 and bought forne Horfes for fome of our European 
 Commodities. 
 
 Tbis-Village belongs to the Cents, and jis one of the 
 iiioic populous and largeft of America , being about 10 
 Leagues long, not in a continued Street, but becaUfe 
 tbeHamblecs arefo near one another, that the whole 
 looks as if it were but one. Their Cabbins are extra¬ 
 ordinary 7 fine , of about 5 o Foot long, and built as 
 Bee-Hives. They plane Trees round-about, whole 
 Branches joyn over their Cabins, and which they tie 
 together: I neir Beds are placed round-about their 
 .4;bins, four Foot higher than the flout) and they 
 
 make 
 
A Voyage into North America. a j 
 
 make their Fire in the middle. Each Cabin is for 
 two Families. They found amongft them feveral 
 things which they muft have from the Spaniards, as 
 fome Pieces of Eight, Silver Spoons, Lace, Cloaths 
 SS Jtafo. They had alfoa Ball of .he Pope, ex- 
 empting the Spaniards of New Mexico from ^ftingm 
 Summer time. How they came by it, they could ne¬ 
 ver underhand. The Horfes are fo common that 
 one of M. de la Salle s men had one given him for his 
 Ax, and another offer'd a fine one for Father ^/*-- 
 f t - s Capuch. They have however no dired Trade 
 with the Spaniards, but get thefe things from the 
 Cboumans their Allies, who being Neighbours of the 
 Europeans are often in War with them. M . de la 
 Salle having always the Mines of St. Barhe ™ 
 Thoughts, defir’d them by Signs to draw a Ma p of 
 the Country and the Cdurfe of their River, which 
 fey uXttid, and with a Piece of Coal they 
 made on the white Bark of a Tree a Defcr.pt.on of 
 their Country and River, that M. de la Salle under- 
 flood they were within fix days journey from the Spa¬ 
 niards, whom they knew, their Warriors going often 
 
 to affift the Cboumans againft them. 
 
 M de la Salle, who had a particular art to gain 
 the Friend (hip of the Savages, told theni agreat 
 many things of the Grandeur of the King his Matter, 
 
 whom he reprefented as the greateft Captain of the 
 World, and as much above the Spaniards as the Sun 
 above the Earth: he gave them an account of his fig- 
 nal Vidories: At which.fays Father Anaftafe, they put 
 their Fingers upon their Mouth to exprefs their Ad¬ 
 miration : but feeing M. de la Salle did not fpeakthe.r 
 Language, I would fain know how the Cents under- 
 ftood the account he gave them of the glorious Adi. 
 ons of the King of France. Surely this is a Fidion, 
 or at beft, too long a Comment upon a Converfanon 
 which was aded by fignsj and Father Anapfe 
 
2. <5 A Voyage into North America.' 
 
 might have fpar’d this Reflexion upon the Spaniards 
 for tho’ the King of France is a great Monarch,yet the 
 King of Spain poflefles fuch Countries iu the old and 
 new World, that no Prince can be compar'd to him 
 in that refpeft, and the Motto ofthe Chatholick Kings, 
 Sol mihi nuncjuam occidit, may be more eafily juftified' 
 than the Nec pluribus impar of the King of France 
 Thofe who will confider the extent ofthe Dominions 
 of the Spaniards in the m/l-lndies, will find that they 
 are above 1500 Leagues in length, which I think the 
 great Mafter of M. de la Salle can never match. 
 
 1 here were at that time.iome Ambafladours of the 
 choumam , at the Village of the Cents, who paid a Vi-, 
 /it to M. de la Salle , and at their coming in made the 
 Sign ofthe Crofs, and kneeling down killed Father 
 Anajlajey Gown, lifting up their Hands to Heaven, 
 and giving them to underftand, that Men cloathed 
 with like Habits taught their Neighbours. They 
 made fuch figns as convinced the French that they 
 had been at Mals; and one of them drew with a 
 Coal a tall Woman weeping at the Foot of the Crofs, 
 for the Death of her Son who was nail'd to it. This 
 he mu ft needs ha ve feen over an Altar in theSpanilh 
 Churches, and 'tis no wonder if they knew Father^- 
 naflaf c’s Gown,for the Francifcans are very numerous 
 in that Country. Our Authour adds, that they told 
 M. de la Salle , that the Spaniards made a great (laugh¬ 
 ter of the Indians , and that if he would go along 
 with them with his fire Arms, it would be eafie to 
 conquer them, feeing they are Cowards, and fo Ef¬ 
 feminate as to have two Men before them, when they 
 walk in Summer-time each with a large Fann to re- 
 frelh them. 
 
 This puts me in mind of feveral Conversion* 
 Which I had with bA.de la Salle, at Fort Frontenac con¬ 
 cerning our Difcoveries, and fpeaking of Miflionaries 
 the Qualities they ought to have, I remember 
 
'A Voyage into North America. *7 
 
 he .old me often that the Jefuits of the College of Cm 
 in rhe Eaft-lndies, which was given them by a Bp. of 
 the Order of St .Francis, and whofe Revenues amount 
 now to a prodigions Summ, travel in a Litter, w 
 
 they perform this Million from 
 
 fide to cool them with a t ann. This he knew 1 rom 
 fome of thofe Jefuits themfelves.but as he had left this 
 Sid not altogether believe what he tojd 
 nS of it but I wonder that Father Amfiafe would 
 diarze upon the Spaniard* of New Mextco, what 
 M de la Salle told me of the Jefuits of Goa. The reafon 
 mav be cafily difcover’d, the Spaniards will either 
 fcorn this Reflection, or let it g° J^geame, 
 
 whereas the Jefuits are never affronted with impu 
 
 n ' C M dela Salle having tarried feveral Days among the 
 Ctno, continued his March through. <**££ 
 of the NaU'onis ; thefe two Nations are in confederacy, 
 and divided by a large River, on the Banks of which 
 the Villages are fituatedThey have much the fam 
 
 0,1 WhhinfivTxeagues of that Place four 
 It’s men ran away to the Nafronts, which fadly vex d 
 him and few Days after,he together with M Moran- 
 ger his Nephew, fell fick of a violent 
 obliged our Travellers to tarry in that Pbce1 for fcve- 
 -al Weeks, for notwithftandmg they recover d, it 
 was a long time before they were able to continue 
 their Voyage. This Diftemper difappointed all their 
 ■neafures, and was the occafion of feveral misfortunes 
 that befell them afterwards. They ta medc h ere wo 
 whole Months, being reduc’d to thegreatell Extremi¬ 
 ties ; their Powder was moft fpent, tho they were not 
 advanced above 1*0 Leagues in a direft hm ; fome 
 of their men had deferted, others beganto be irrefo- 
 lute; and all thefe things being carefully con fider d 
 by M. del* Salk, he refolved to return to Fort 
 
V 
 
 xS A Voyage info North America’ 
 
 Every body approv’d his Defign, and fo they retur¬ 
 ned the fame way without meeting with any remark¬ 
 able Accident, except that one of them wasfwallow- 
 ed by a Crocodile of a prodigious Size, as they re¬ 
 paired th e Wicked River. 
 
 They returned to their Camp the 17 th of OBober 
 1686, being received with an incredible Joy by their 
 Companions, who thought them as good as loft a- 
 mongft thele barbarous Nations. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 A Short Defcription of Fort Lewis, of its advan¬ 
 tageous Situation , and of the Fertility of the 
 Country about it. 
 
 W HAT has been already obfervcd is enough to 
 fliew the Character of M. de la Sailed that 
 never Traveller was more undaunted, and conftant 
 in his undertakings than him. All the misfortunes 
 and accidents we have mention’d, were not enough 
 to dejeft his Courage, nor deterr him from his former 
 JJeligns, in which through the Grace of God he ex¬ 
 pected to fucceed. 
 
 He remained two Months and a half at Fort Lew - 
 h, during which time he took a view of all the Ri¬ 
 vers that run into that Bay, and found above 50 
 Which are Navigable, if we may believe Father An*. 
 Jfajey who was with him: They come molt of them 
 own the Weft and North-Weft. The Fort is lituated 
 uva Tandy Ground, but the Soil about is very fertile. 
 4 .here are large Meadows in which the Graft grows 
 us high as our Wheat In Furope. Thefe Rivers are 
 cry frequent, being commonly at 2 or 1 Leagues 
 ■ ranee. Their Banks are adorn’d with Oak, Mul¬ 
 
 berry- 
 
A Voyage into North America. 29 
 
 berrv-Trees, and other Sets of Trees feme whereof 
 are altogether unknown in Europe The Country is 
 all alike going to the Weftward, till within two Day’s 
 
 a rmpg Ground on,h. 
 Bank of a River, having the Sea to the South-Raft, 
 the Meadows to the Weft, and two large Ponds and 
 a Foreft to the South-Weft; the neareft Neighbours 
 are the Guoaauis , who have abundance of Horfes, 
 and the Bahamas and Gurnets, who are wandering 
 Nations, with whom M. de la Salles was in War. He 
 
 forgot nothing during that time to comfort hsfmall 
 
 Colony, which began to multiply, fevcral C l.dren 
 being bom fince their Arrival. He imployed his men 
 about grubbing up the Lands, which as I have faid, 
 proved very good and fertile. In the mean time our 
 Miflbnaries applied themfelves to the Inftruiftion of 
 fome Savage Families, who left their own Nation to 
 live with the Europeans. M. de la Salle US d them with 
 all pofiible kindnefs, knowing how advantageous it 
 would be to win thofe barbarous Nations over to 
 
 his Intereft. _ , . . 
 
 M. de la Salle having caft up an Intrenchment a- 
 
 bout a large Inclofure, wherein were the Habitations 
 of the Colony, under the Cannon of the tort, and 
 taken all other precautions for their Security, called 
 the Inhabitants together, and made fb pathctical a 
 Speech to them about the Necdfity he was under to 
 make a Voyage to the Illinois Country, that he drew 
 Tears from every one ot the Aflembly, conndering 
 the Danger and Fatigue of fo great a Voyage, for 
 he was very much beloved. He took 20 men with 
 him with his Brother, his two Nephews, Father 4- 
 natiafe, and one Joufiel d Victor and after pubhek 
 Prayers, he fet out a fecond time from Fort Lewis, 
 refolv’d not to return till he had found the Omus. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
3° 
 
 A Vioyage into North America. 
 
 CHAP. Vf. 
 
 An Account of M. de la Salles fecotul Voyage 
 from the Bay of St. hems, , to the Illinois. ’ 
 
 ]\/T De Salle with zo men fet out from his Fort 
 f n 7* on f h e 7th of January 1687, and met the 
 hi It Day a great Band of Babantos, who were going 
 upon a military Expedition againft the Savages, called 
 Tngoanna. He made alliance with them, and de- 
 ligned to do the like with the Guinets, whom he met 
 alfo, but they ran away upon his approach : How- 
 ever having overtaken them by means of his Horfes, 
 they agreed together, and promifcd on both Tides an 
 inviolable Peace. 
 
 They continued their March to the North-Eaft, 
 and eroded the firft River, which they had called 
 before the River of Canes , becaiile the Banks of it are 
 covered with them. The Country is diverfified with 
 Meadows and Woods, and the Soil is fo fertile, that 
 Crafs grows 10 or 12 Foot high. There are feveral 
 .populous Villages of Savages upon that Rivers, but 
 they vifited only the Guaras and Anachorema. They 
 eroded the lecond River of Canes y diftant 3 Leagues 
 from the former. Its Banks are inhabited by feve¬ 
 ral different Nations, and the Country is full of Hemp 
 which grows naturally in thofe Parts. They met 
 S Leagues further another River call'd Sablonniere, 
 becaufe it flows through a fandy ground, tho’ the 
 Craft of the Meadows near its Banks fheweth the 
 Fertility of the Soil. 
 
 r H ?o'? g P a ^ three or four fmall Rivers, they 
 ^ound 8 Leagues from the Sablonniere the River Robeck , 
 whole Banks are peopIed,,with feveral Villages of Sa¬ 
 vages, who fpeak, in H manner from their Throat, 
 hey are in War with the Spaniards, and defir’d M. 
 
 de la 
 
A Voyage into North America. 31 
 
 delaSaUe to joyn with them, but he had bufinefselfe 
 where, and with to men alone he was not able 
 to do any great things againft the Spaniards. He 
 remain’d five or fix days with them, and from thence 
 continued his march to the Wicked River, fo called, 
 becaufe a Crocodile had devour'd one of his men. 
 That River has a long courfe, and is inhabited by 40 
 Villages of Savages, which compofes the Nation Ka- 
 noatlnno , which are likewife at War with the Spaniards. 
 They went through fome of their Villages, where they 
 were kindly receiv’d; tho’, if we may believe Father 
 Attaftafe, the cruelties of the Spaniards have Ibme- 
 what chang’d their good Nature into fiercenefs. This, 
 
 I take to be M. de la Salk’s Opinion; for in all his 
 Travels he endeavoured to reprefent the Spaniards 
 as the mod odious and cruel Nation in the World. 
 
 I muft own, as I have already intimated, that the 
 Spaniards were forc'd to deftroy feveral Nations in New 
 Mexico , but they were oblig’d to it to preferve them- 
 felves againft them, for elfe the Natives would have 
 deftroy’d them. ’Tis certain, that the Savages have 
 no kindnefs for the Europeans , and keep fair with 
 them, only as long as they fear them. But T won¬ 
 der , that M de la Salle fhould blame fo much 
 the Spaniards , and yet form the Enterprise he was a- 
 bout, feeing it was impoflible for him to fucceed with¬ 
 out deftroying the Spaniards themfelves; and as to 
 their Tyranny, 1 remember to have convinc’d him 
 more than once, that the Spanifi Domination iseafier 
 and milder than any Other he could name. 
 
 M. de la Salle having got fome Horfes from thofe 
 Savages, crofted the River in Canou’s made of Skins 
 of wild Oxen, the Horles fwimming over ; and four 
 Leagues from thence crofs’d the River Hiens or Vans, 
 already mention’d, continuing their march to the 
 North-Eaft. They crofs’d feveral other Rivers and 
 Brooks, which were mightily fwoln by the Rains 
 
3 2 *4 Voyage into North America. 
 
 that fall in rhat Country about that time, which is 
 their Winter, the difference of Sea Ions being only 
 known by thole Rains. The Country they travell’d 
 through isdiverfified with Meadows, Woods, Groves 
 Hills and Springs. They came at laft to three great 
 Villages call’d Tar aha, Tyakappan and ¥ donna, where 
 they found good Horles. They met fome Leagues 
 further the Pala^uijjons, a People compos’d often 
 Villages. Thele are in Alliance with the Spaniards. 
 
 I cannot but wonder at Father Anafiafes negie- 
 ftingto make a more exaft Diary of their Vovage, 
 and to be more particular about fo many different 
 Nations he fpeaks off, and therefore I defire the Rea¬ 
 der to give me leave to make now and then fome Refle¬ 
 ctions upon this Voyage of M. de la Salle, having fo 
 intimately known that Gentleman, and travell’d fo 
 long with him in America. My Defcription 'of Lou- 
 ifiana, which 1 printed»at Paris , did him a very great 
 kindnefsin relatiorrto his Enrerprize. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
A Voyage into North America. 3 3 
 
 chap. -vir. 
 
 M. de la Salle and three more are unfortunately 
 murtherd by Jome of their own Tarty. 
 
 A Fter they had gone through fo many different 
 Nations as is above related, there fell cut a 
 moft unhappy Accident, to wit, the AfiafTmation of 
 M de la Salle , his Nephew Mor anger, and fome te¬ 
 thers M. de la Salle was then in a fine Country for 
 hunting: His People regal’d themfelves very plenti¬ 
 fully, and refrefh’d themfelves after their tirefome 
 Travel with excellent goodChear for feveral days to¬ 
 gether- He had fent M. Mor anger his Nephew, his 
 Laquey Saget, and feven or eight of his men to a 
 certain place, where Nika his Huntsman, who was 
 a Savage Chaouenon had laid up a flock of wild Buus 
 Flefti, that they might get it fmoak’d and dry d to 
 carry along with them, and fo not be oblig’d to halt 
 fo' frequently to hunt for Provifions. 
 
 With all his Prudence, M. de la Salk could iwt air- 
 cover the Confpiracy of fome of his People to kill his 
 Nephew, for they refolv’d upon it, and put it in Ex¬ 
 ecution all of a hidden on the 17 th of March wound¬ 
 ing him in the head with a Hatchet. The Ji.ow was 
 ftruck by a Perfon whom Father Anaftdfm out of 
 Charity would not name ; they flew likewife the La¬ 
 quey and poor Nika, who had provided for them 
 by his Hunting for three years together with toil and 
 danger: Moranger languifhed under his Wound for 
 two Hours, during which time, he gave all poflibie 
 tokens of his Piety, forgiving his Murtherers, and 
 embracing them frequently, refigntng hirfelf up to 
 God’s good P!eafure,and relying upon hisSaviour s Me¬ 
 rits,as his very Murtherers acknowledg’d, when their 
 
 D Rag® 
 
34 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 Rage was cool’d: He was a very honeft man and a 
 good Chriftian. 
 
 Thefe Wretches not content with this bloody Fad 
 refolv'd not to ftick there", but contriv’d howto kill 
 their Matter too, for they fear'd he would haveiuft- 
 ly punitti’d them for their Crime. Father Anaftafim 
 lays, They were two Leagues off the place where 
 Morangcr was kill'd, and that M. de la Salle being con¬ 
 cern’d at his Nephews tarrying fo long (for they had 
 been gone twoor three days) was afraid they might have 
 been furpriz’d by fome Party of the Savages; where¬ 
 upon he defir’d Father Anajlajius to go with him 
 to look after his Nephew, and took two Savages a- 
 long with him; upon the way M. de la Salle enter¬ 
 tain’d ’em with a pious Difcourfe of Grace and Pre- 
 deftination; but chiefly be enlarg’d upon the great 
 Obligations be was under to divine Providence for 
 preferring him in the many dangers be had undergone 
 during a twenty Years abode in America, nine of 
 which he fpent in travelling, and I with him; be 
 feem’d to be peculiarly atFe&ed with God’s Goodnels 
 to him, when all ofafudden. Father Anajlafmi ob- 
 ferv’d that he fell into a deep Sorrow of which be 
 himfclf could give no account; he grew mighty un¬ 
 quiet and full of trouble, a temper he was never feen 
 in before; Father Anajlajius did all he could to reco¬ 
 ver him out ofit. 
 
 They were got about two Leagues, when he found 
 his Lacquey’s bloody Cravat, and perceiv’d two Ea¬ 
 gles (a common Bird in thofe parts) hovering over 
 his head, at the fame time he fpied his People by the 
 Water-fide: he went up to them and enquired for his 
 Nephew, they made him little anfwer, but pointed 
 to the place where he lay. Father Aaajlafius kept 
 going on by the River fide,till at laft they came to the 
 fatal place, where two of the Villains lay hid in the 
 ijrafs, one on one fide, and one on the other, with 
 
 their 
 
/ 
 
 A Voyage into North America. 3 5 
 
 their Pieces cock’d, the firft prefented at M. de la Sail* 
 butmifs’d Fire, the other fired at the fame time, and 
 (hot him into the head, of which he dy’d an Hour af¬ 
 ter, March 19. 1687. 
 
 Father Anaftafuu expefted the fame fare, bur did 
 not reflett upon the danger he was in; he was fenfibly 
 touch’d at this cruel Spectacle, feeing M. de la Sails 
 fall a little way off from him with his Face all bloody; 
 he ran to him, took him up in his Arms, and wept 
 over him, exhorting him as well as he could in this 
 Conjuncture to die like a good Chriftian; the unfortu- 
 nateGentleman had been at his Devotions juft before 
 they fet out, and had juft time enough to confeft 
 part of his Life to Father Anaftafius , who gave him 
 Abfolution, and (bon after he died: In thefe hisJlaft 
 Moments he perform’d as far as he was capable what- 
 foever was proper for one in his condition, he prefs’d 
 the Fathers hand at every thing he faid to him, efpe- 
 cially when he admonifh’d him to forgive his Enemies; 
 mean while the Murtherers (truck 'with Horror at 
 what they had committed, began to beat their Breads, 
 and deteft their Ra(hnefs. Father Avajlafiut would 
 not ftir from the place till he had bury’d tne Body as 
 decently as he could, and plac’d a Crofs over his 
 Grave. 
 
 Thus fell the Sieur Robert Cavelier de la Salle, a 
 Man of confiderable Merit, conftant in Adverfities, 
 tearjefs, generous, courteous, ingenious, learned and 
 capable of every thing; belabour’d for twenty years 
 together to dvilizethefavage Humours and Manners of 
 a great number of barbarous People among whom he 
 rraveil’d, and had the ill hap to be maffacred by his. 
 own Servants, whom he had enrich’d: hedyd in the 
 Vigour ofhis Age in the middle of his Courfe, before 
 he could execute thedefigns he had form'd upon I*W 
 Mexico, 
 
 D * 
 
 CHAP. 
 
3 6 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 chap. vm 
 
 The Authors Reflexions upon the Life and Death 
 of M. de la Salle, whofe Murtherers kill'd one 
 another. 
 
 M De la Salle told me feveral times, whilft we 
 • were together in Fort Fr$ntenac t before we 
 went upon our Difcoveries, and alfo when we were 
 in purfuit of them, that when he was a Jcfuir, having 
 liv’d io or i r years in that Order, the Fathers of that 
 Society caus d frequent Lectures to be read during 
 the firft two Years to all thofe that enter’d into the So¬ 
 ciety,of the tragical Deaths and fatal Mifcarriages that 
 overtook fuch as had quitted their Order; and this 
 was done to fix thofe that were newly entred; Iought 
 to fav this out of Juftice to M. de la Salle , who for¬ 
 merly depofited in my hands all his Papers, whilft he 
 took a Voyage to France , and I ftaid at Fort Frontenac, 
 that he quitted his Order with the confent of his Su¬ 
 periors, and that he had written Teftimonials of his 
 good Conduit during his ftay in that Society. He 
 fhew’d me a Letter written at Rome by the General 
 of that Order, wherein he teftified that the faid Sieur 
 *+e la Salle had behav’d himfelf prudently in every 
 thing without giving the leaftoccalion to be fufpedted 
 guilty of a venial Sin. 
 
 I have a hundred times reflected upon what he has 
 laid to me, when we entertain’d our felves with the 
 Stories of our new Difcoveries, and I ador’d God for 
 the unfearchablenelsof his ways, who accotnplifheshis 
 Will by thofe means he is pleafed to appoint; and 
 uncertain as I was of my Deftiny, I gave my felf up 
 to his good pleafure, refolv’d to fubmit patiently in 
 every thing to his divineProvidence. Father Anajla- 
 
 Jim 
 
 i 
 
A Voyage into North America. 3 7 
 
 arriv’d at length where was M. Cavelier , aPrieft, 
 Brother of the Defund M. de la Salle, to whom he 
 related his Death, the Murtherers came rudely into 
 the fame Cabbin or Hut prefently after,and feiz’d up¬ 
 on all they found in it, the good Father had not lei- 
 furefor a long Harangue, but his Countenance bath’d 
 in Tears, was a fufficient Intimation of what he had 
 to fay: M. Cavelier at fir ft fight of him, cry’d out, 
 ah! my Brother is dead. I cannot forbear prefent- 
 ing the publick with fome accounnt of this Prieft, M. 
 Cavelier, with whom Ifojourn’d in during one 
 
 Summer of my Million to Fort Frovtenac , of which 
 his Brother was Governour and Proprietor. He was 
 a pious and difcreet Ecclefiaftick, perfedly qualified 
 lor a Millionary: He no fooner heard this fatal News, 
 but he fell down upon his Knees, and fodid thcSieur 
 Cavelier his Nephew, expeding the Villains came to 
 butcher them, and therefore prepar’d themfelves to 
 die like Chriftians; but the Alfalfines mov’d with 
 Companion at the fight of the venerable old Man, 
 and being forry befides for their late wicked Deeds, 
 refolvd to fpare them, upon condition that they 
 fhould never return into France, but they were a 
 long time d’er they fixe upon granting them Mercy; 
 fome of them that had a mind to fee their Kindred 
 once again, endeavour’d as well as they could to 
 clear themfelves from fo deteftable an Adion; others 
 laid, Was fafeft to rid their hands of thefe two inno¬ 
 cent men, orelfe they might one day call them to an 
 account, if ever they met again in France. 
 
 They chofe for their Leader the Murtherer of M. 
 dela Salle, and upon Deliberation they refolv'd to go 
 to the famous Nation of the Cents already fpoken of; 
 fo they march’d altogether for feveral days, and pafs’d 
 divers Rivers. Thefe infamous Murtherersmade the 
 two Caveliers ferve them as Va'ets, and gave them no¬ 
 thing but their leavings to ear. They arriv’d without 
 
 D } any 
 
 f 
 
3 8 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 any rub at the place they wifh’d f or . A Conteft 
 fifes betwixt a German of Wsttemburg , nam’d Ham 
 and Inm that rourther’d M. Je la Salle, about the Su! 
 perionty of Command, upon this their men divide 
 themfelves into two Parties, one follows Hans the 
 other the Murtherer. They were come away from 
 *he Cents amongft whom they tarry’d fome time, and 
 arriv d at the NaJJonts , where the four Dererters 
 whom 1 mention’d before, rejoyn'd them. Thus 
 they were all got together upon Afcenfion Eve, and 
 tbe Quarrel^betwixt the two Parties, being blown up 
 to chat height, that they determin’d to murther one 
 another , Father Anaftajius made an Exhortation to 
 them upon the Feftival day, with which they feem’d 
 to be fo touch’d, that they made as if they would 
 .coniefs themfelves; but they did not continue long 
 in that mind. Thole that moft regretted their Ma¬ 
 tters murther, took to hams fide. This man two 
 days after raking his opportunity, punifh’d one crime 
 
 2 X a J n °, the / , „ for , he fir ’ d a p ‘ftol at the Murtherer 
 of m.de la Salle , the Bullet peirc’d his Heart, and he 
 drop d dead upon the place One of Ham’s Crew 
 foot him that kill’d M. Moranger in tbe fide, and be- 
 tore hg could well recover himfelf, another let fly 
 jult at his Head, there was no Ball in his Musket, but 
 the Powder fee fire to his Hair, which catch’d his 
 cnirc and Cloaths with fo much violence and quick¬ 
 er 5 ’ that he could not put it out, but expir’d in the 
 f a ™ e * Jye third Confpirator took to his Heels and 
 lav ci nimfelf; Hans was mighty eager to make fure 
 of him, and finilh in his Death, the vengeance due ro 
 W.Je la Salle; but rlje Sieur made’em Friends, 
 and io the matter -retted for that time. 
 
 _ hus Hans became the chief Leader of thismiferable 
 V the J !? fo ! v ’ d 19 rcturn t0 the Cents, amongft 
 bark : n /% de ^ n d to fettle,for they durft not venture 
 to Europe for fear of meeting the punifhraent 
 
 'fa " their 
 
A Voyage into North America. $9 
 
 their Crimes deferv’d: At that time the 
 UD jn arms and ready to march out to fight with the 
 Kanoattnno a cruel People, their implacable Enemies. 
 When they take any Prifonert* they throw them a 
 live into a Caldron and boyl them. The Cents tt 
 took Hans and fomeother Europeans along1 w>th them, 
 thereft waited till they (hould return, though^ 
 would fain have perfwaded them all to [ 
 
 would not fhr. When Hans was gone, they depart 
 ed odt of the Country of the Cents, and Umong 
 were the two Caveliers , the Sieur 7 ™ te > 1 d ' 
 nadaCmwA others; each had his Horfe, Powde , 
 and Lead, with feme G^ds to defray t^Ch^M 
 upon the way; they made a halt in the Country 
 the NaJJbnis to celebrate the OlUvt of la fete dstu. In 
 their Relations, they fa?, that the P eo P le ^^ 
 tainM them perpetually with Stones of the Crueky 
 of the Spaniards towards the ^r ( ^w , and to 
 them twenty feveral Nations were going to make 
 war upon the Spaniards, and invited them to go a 
 long Sfith them, becaufe, faid they, you «* *» 
 more execution with your Guns, than all our >Va ^ 
 riors with their Maces and Arrows. But they had 
 other defigns in their Heads, and took °ccalion in 
 thefe Difcourfes to give them to underhand th 
 they were come amongftthem byexprefsorderfrom 
 God, toinftruft them in the knowledge of the Truth, 
 and let them right in the way to Salvation, and this 
 was their employment for 10 or is days to thh ,d 
 
 ° f l make no queftion, but M. Caveher thc Prieft, 
 and Father Anaflafm endeavour d to their utmoft to 
 give light to thefe Naffimis and deliver them out of 
 their ignorance. But the four other Europeans that 
 were in their company were not enough in number to 
 terrifie the Spaniards whoareus’d to fire-arms; be- 
 Tides they did not underftand the Language of thele 
 
 D 4 People 
 
4 ° A Voyage, into North America. 
 
 People, and therefore I cannot ealily comprehend 
 how they could gather from the Difcourfe of thefe 
 Naflomsy that the Spaniards were lo cruel to the A- 
 THtricam ; they had no Interpreters along with them' 
 lo that they could not underlfand a word of what 
 was faid to them by thefe People, who had never 
 teen any other Europeans before them. 
 
 Moreover’tis certain, that lince the days of the 
 Empero ir Charles the Fifth, the Spaniards have not 
 Jar d to execute any Cruelties upon the Natives of 
 Aew Mexico , becaule they have too few of their own 
 Subjects to gua r d their Conqueftsagainft the infultsof 
 their neighbouring Indians , were they irritated. No 
 they ,ive peaceably with them, and trouble no bo’ 
 oy, unlcfs they are firft attack’d. 
 
 
 ' i- r Si 
 isy &vtfftc has .lit 
 
 dotriw 
 
 * 'jssa.diiw 
 
 ? -nti • a*. . % orfi o? §nbflfcb 
 
 «net}b>i 7d ocf) fogoidh 
 
 to wob&tft otno) 37£ri vsri; b\i 
 -noi vior >rr.' twU u?d» ilskei .i(i 
 
 3di qt brist y^/ij $H/soskI : nu< 
 r>z, fguo lit 5 <oui ?i o: 
 
 C H 4 P. 
 
A Voyage into North America. 41 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The Cenis permit M. Cavelier the Friefl , and 
 Father Anaftafius, with their Company , to con¬ 
 tinue their journey thorough feveral barbarous 
 Nations. 
 
 T H E Cents gave thefe fix Europeans two Savages 
 for Guides, who took their way thorough the 
 fineft Country in the World Northwards, and Nortb- 
 Eaftwards; they pafs’d over four great Rivers, and 
 many Channels made by the Rain, inhabited by di¬ 
 vers Nations Eaftward, they came among the Haquis, 
 the Nabiri, or the Naanji, a valiant People at War 
 with theCew/;, at length they arrived near the Cado- 
 daccbos , June the i;th, one of their Guides went be¬ 
 fore to inform the Barbarians of their coming. The 
 chief Men and the Youth, whom they found a 
 League from their Village, receiv’d them with the 
 Calumet , and gave them fome Tobacco; fome led 
 their Horfes by the Bridle, and others carried them 
 about in Triumph; they laid they were Spirits come 
 from the other World. 
 
 All the Village being come together, the Women 
 according to their Cuftom wafh’d their Heads and 
 Feet with warm Water, after which they were feated 
 upon a Bench cover’d with neat white Mats; then 
 they went to revelling dancing to the Calumet , and 
 made other publick rejoycings Day and Night. Thefe 
 People knew nothing of the Europeans but by Report, 
 ’tis to be prefum’d they have fome (hadow of Reli¬ 
 gion amongft 'em, but all their Ideas are very con¬ 
 fus’d, and their Notions unaccountable, they feem 
 to worfhip the Sun, becaufe they fend up the Smoak 
 pi their Tobacco to him, though they have their 
 
 (hare 
 
4 * A Voyage into North America. 
 
 fhare on’t; their Ceremonial Habits have commonly 
 two Suns defcribed upon them, and upon the reft of 
 the Body reprefentations of wild Bulls, Deer, Ser¬ 
 pents, or other Animals; the two religious European] 
 took occafion from hence, to give themfome LefTons 
 concerning the true God, and the principal Myfteric* 
 ofChriftianity ; ’tis to be fuppos d all this was done 
 by Signs. 
 
 In this place God afflifted them by a Tragical Ac¬ 
 cident, the Sieur Marne maugre all Diflwafiom, 
 would needs bath himfelf, June the 24th at Night 
 M. Cavelter, Nephew to M. del* Salle went along 
 with him to the River-fide, which lies pretty near 
 the Village. Marne threw himfelf into the Water 
 and never came up again. 'Twas a Whirlpool that 
 iuck d him in, and drowned him in a moment. 
 
 A little after his Body was drawn out of the Wa- 
 ter, and carried to the Captain's Houfe; all the Vit- 
 jage lamented his Death: The Captain's Wife wrapt 
 him up decently in a handfome Mat, while forae 
 young Men dug a Grave for him, which Father Ana- 
 fiajtus bleft; and then they committed him to the 
 Earthy with alt pollible Solemnity. The Barbarians 
 admir'd the Ceremonies of his Interment, and a- 
 bove all, the finging of the Pfalms at his Obfequies. 
 Upon this they offer'd them inftrudions about the 
 immortality of the Soul, and continued to teach them 
 for Eight days, for fo long they tarried after in that 
 fatph Place; the dead Man was buried upon an Emi¬ 
 nence near the Village, his Grave was fenc’d about 
 wjth Pallifado’s, and a great Croft let up over it 
 which was made by the Savages: They departed out 
 of this Country, July rho id!®? l 
 
 Thefe People dwell upon the Side of a River, 
 'vhere three other Nations inhabit, the Natchoos, 
 
 *5 Vatebetes and Qutdicbes. The Travellers were re¬ 
 ceiv'd very kindly by all of them. From the River of 
 
 the 
 
 1 
 
A Voyage into North America. 4; 
 
 the Cenify where they firft met w : ch Beavers and 
 Otters; the farther thev advanced Northward, the 
 greater Number they found of thofe Animals. Whilft 
 they fojourned among the Ouidicbes , they met with 
 three Warrioors of two Nations call’d the Cahimio , 
 and the Mentous, who dwelt twenty five League* 
 
 * farther, Eaft-North-Eaft, and had feenfome French¬ 
 men. They offer’d to conduft ’em to their Country¬ 
 men, and by the way they crofs’d tour Rivers and 
 Brooks, or Torrents made by the Rain, there they 
 were receiv'd by thefe Nations with the Calumet of 
 Peace in their Hands, with all poffible Tokens of 
 Gladnefs and Efteem. Many of thefe Savages talkt 
 to 'em of an Eurofean t who was a Captain, and had 
 but one Hand ; this was the Sieur it Tonti a Neapo¬ 
 litan, mention’d in my firft Volume. They added, 
 that he told *em, that a greater Captain than himfelf 
 would probably pafs by their Village ; meaning the 
 Sieur de la Salle. „ 
 
 The chief Man among them lodg'd them tn his 
 Cabbin or Hutt, and made his Family go out of it; 
 there they were treated feveral Days with all forts 
 of good Cheer. Nay, they order’d a fblemn Feaft to 
 be kept publickly, wherein they danc’d to the Cola • 
 met four and twenty Hours together, and fung Song* 
 made purpofcly for the occafion, which their Cap¬ 
 tain di&ated to them as loud a* he could, they en¬ 
 tertain’d ’em as Envoys from the Sun, who came to 
 defend them from their Enemies with Thunderbolts,^ 
 meaning their Mufquets which they had never feeri* 
 before; in the heat of thefe rejoycings the younger 
 Cavelier let off his Piftol three times, crying out Vi¬ 
 ve le Roy , which the Barbarians repeated with a loud 
 Voice; adding, long live the Sun.’ 
 
 Thefe Savages have a prodigious Number of Bea¬ 
 vers and Otters in their Country, which might he 
 eafily exported by a River near the Village; thefe 
 
 Sava- 
 
44 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 Savage* would have loaded their Horfes with theml 
 
 anv *&fJSr d th T to fhew the F were free from 
 any Selfdefign, and prefented the Barbarians with 
 Hatchets and Knives; at Jaft they went away with 
 two CtfWo s to guide them; after they had receiv’d 
 the Ambafladours from the Analau, the 7 W and 
 
 other NationsNorthweft,and South Weftward, thev 
 
 Kfn r S me D . a J s ] he fineft Country in the 
 World full of Rivers, Meadows, little Woods, Hills, 
 and vineyards. ' 
 
 Among others they crofs'd over four large Naviga¬ 
 ble Rivers, and after a March ofaboutfixty Leagues 
 they came to the Ojjbtteoez, who dwell upon a No-’ 
 ble River running from the North-Weft, upon whofe 
 Banks grow the fineft Woods in the Univerfe. 
 
 Xhe Skins of Beavers and Otters are every where 
 found in fo great a Quantity, as well as all other kinds 
 of Hides and Skins of Beafts, that* they throw ’em all 
 in a heap and burn them, of fo little value are they ac¬ 
 counted. ’Tis upon the famous River of the Akanfa 
 that fo many Villages ftand, as I mention’d in the 
 nrft l ome of my Difcoveries. 
 
 Father Anafiafm fays in his Relation, that there 
 they began to know where-abouts they were: At the 
 fame time he knew very well,that neither he nor any 
 Man in his Company had ever been upon the River 
 Mefcbafipi .*• Indeed I went up it by my fdf, with 
 two Indians in aCanou in 1680, and afterwards in 
 i68i, M dt la Salle went up it as high as Akanfa : 
 
 5 Fis highly probable, Father Anaflafius thought he 
 was then at Fort Crevecvur, fituated in the Country 
 of the Illinois , becaufe he found a great Crofs there, 
 and beneath it the King of Frances Arms; befides he 
 a Houle built after the European way, and upon 
 this the Sieur foutel, and two more that were left 
 uncharged their Mufquets. At the Noife of the Guns 
 out came two French Canadans, their Commander's 
 
 Name 
 
A Voyage into North America. 45- 
 
 Name was M. Couture , whom I knew particularly 
 well when I lived in Canada , and was one that made 
 the Voyage along with us to difcover the Lcuifiana 
 This Mr 'Couture gave them to know, that he was Po¬ 
 rted there by the Sieur de Ponti , by order of M de la 
 Salle , to keep up an Alliance with the Neighbouring 
 Savage Nations, and guard them againft the Infulcs of 
 the lroquott, their fworn Foes. 
 
 They vifited three Villages, the Forimam , the Do- 
 dinga, and the Kappa ; they receiv’d ’em every where 
 with Feafts, Speeches, Dances, and all other Expref- 
 fions of Joy. They were lodg’d in the Houfe belon¬ 
 ging to this fmall Fort. Thefe of Canada that were 
 fettled there entertain’d ’em very kindly, and made 
 them Mailers of all Whatever Affairs thefe Savages 
 conceited about they never decided them immediately, 
 but fummon’d together the Chief men, and the moft 
 Ancient of the Villages, and deliberated upon the 
 matter in difpute. Thefe Travellers ask’d them for a 
 Fyrcgue , and fome Savages in it to go up the River 
 Mefchdjipi , as far as the Illinois , by the River of that 
 Nation, which in my Map of Loutjiana, I call the 
 River of Seignelay , in honour to the Minifter of State 
 of that Name, who favour’d and took care about 
 our Dilcovery. Father Anafiafius fays they offer'd 
 their Horfes, fome Powder and Lead in exchange for 
 the Pyrogue. After the Counfel had met upon this 
 Subject, they came to a refolution to grant them the 
 Pyrogue they demanded, and four Savages to man it, 
 one of each Nation to fignify the ftrift Alliance they 
 had made with them. This was punctually execu¬ 
 ted, Co they difmils'd the Calamo with Prefents to 
 their fatisfaftion. 
 
 Upon this Head I would obferve, without preten¬ 
 ding to reflect upon M .dt la Salle, that he undoub¬ 
 tedly never found out the true Mouth of the River 
 Mcfcbajipi , nor Father Anaftajtns neither, who ne- 
 
4 6 A into North America. 
 
 I® , wa * , in t tb i c Part of the Country; and if the laft 
 
 ' 8 » ht Up ° n *•' by he,p of the Savages that 
 guided him, twas owing to the Directions he it 
 ceiv d from M. Couture, Commander of the Skonce- 
 
 tCTheSer 1 ? ^ W '" 8i "“ morel « ht ™'° lhi * 
 
 YSC 
 
 CH AP.j$g^g 
 
 The romt efthe Sieur Cavelier n Triell, W 
 Father Anaftafius a RecolM in a Pyrogie 1. 
 the Illinois, and fiveral Ohfenuim concern- 
 fug their Return. 
 
 A Fter they had tarried a little time among thefe 
 
 FmK*rV^ Ple ’ }*. Cavelier, and Father Anaftapus, 
 Embarked in the River of Mefchafip, Aug. i. they 
 CTofled the River the fame Day in a Pyrogue of 40 
 root long. Theftream was very ftrong in that Place, 
 to they went all a-(hoar ro travel the reft of the Tour* 
 “ff °? F u oor > hecaufe they had left their Horfes at 
 Akanfa, though they had done better perhaps to 
 have kept them: Tney left no Soul in the Pnom 
 but young Cavelier, whole tender Age .Wd 
 with the Fatigue of travelling fo far, made him un- 
 Capable of protecting the Journey on Foot. Father 
 Anajtafius thinks that from the place where they fet 
 out to the Illmoit, they had 400 Leagues to march 
 
 5 efore could get thither j but all this is 
 fpoken by guefs. 
 
 One of the Savages went aboard the Pymue to fteer 
 Katong the Rtver, and one of his Comei ades reliev'd 
 nim from time to time. The reft of the Company 
 made no life of the Pjrogue, but only when thev had 
 occafion to ayoid a dangerous Place, cr crofs any Ri- 
 
 vers; 
 
 r\ 
 
A Voyage into ^Jorth America. ^ » 
 
 vers; they underwent a great deal of Toil in thisVqsy- 
 age, the Heats wereexceffive in that feafon, the (and 
 was burnt by the Sun, but more than all, the w^nt of 
 Food, which they endur’d feveraldays, redu^d ’em 
 to extreme hardfhip. ryjatliwad 
 
 Father Anafiafius adds, That they were got aoo 
 Leagues over land from the Bay of St. Louts, that is 
 to fay, ioo Leagues to the Cents , 6 o to the North 
 North-Eaft, and 40 to the Eaft North-Eaft: from the 
 NaJJ'tnis to the Cadodaecbos 40 North North-Eaft- 
 ward, from the Cadodaecbos to the Cabinnio and the 
 Mentous 15 to the Eaft North-Eaft, and from the Ca¬ 
 binnio to the Akanfa 60 Eaft North-Eaft. 
 
 They continued their Progrefs up the River by the 
 fame way, that they had heard M. de la Salle went 
 in 82, except that they went to Sicacha. Father A- 
 nafiafius , fays M. de la Salle was not there. I made 
 mention of this Nation in my Difcovery in 80 , in the 
 preceding Volumetheir principal Village is twenty 
 five Leagues Eaft from Akanfa. The People are ro- 
 buftand numerous, confiftingat leaflof4ooo fight¬ 
 ing Men: They have abundance of all forts of Skins 
 and Hides. Their Leaders often brought the Calumec 
 to them to fignifie that they were willing to make an 
 Alliance with them; nay they offer’d to go and fet¬ 
 tle themfelves upon the River Ouabacbe to be nearer 
 Fort Crevecceur in the Country of the Illinois , whither 
 they were travelling. soiq'to 
 
 This famous River of Ouabacbe is full as large as 
 Mefchafipt ; a great many other Rivers run into it, 
 the out-let where it difeharges it felf into Mefchaftpi is 
 200 Leagues from Akanfa according to M. de la Sakds. 
 Computation; the truth is it is not fo farcrofsthe 
 Country, but it may be as much in following the 
 courfe of the River Mejcbajipi, which winds aboun 
 very much. Straight over land ’tis not above 5 gor ef: 
 , days journey. :'I £ 1. 
 
 They 
 
-"^8 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 'They crofs’d the River Ouabacbe, Augujl z6 and 
 fourtd it full 60 Leagues along the River . Mefcbafipi ro 
 the n^puth of the River of the Illinois, about 6 Leagues 
 telow i»he mouth of that River North-Weftward is 
 the famous River of the MaJJourites or the Oraees 
 which is as large at leaf* as the River it falls into. It«’ 
 made upPf fevcral other known navigable Rivers in¬ 
 habited by numerous Nations, as the Pammaba, who 
 have but one Captain and 21 Villages, the leaft of 
 which contains 200 Cabbins. The PaneaJJ'a, the Pan 
 the Panalogd, and the Metotantes , each of which is’ 
 as confideraLe as the Panimaba. 
 
 Th eOrages have r7 Villages upon a River of their 
 name, that difcharges it fell into that of the Maffou - 
 riie J- Our Maps and thole of M. dela Salle , have pla¬ 
 ced the Orages there. Formerly the Akanfa dwelt 
 a great way up one ofthefe Rivers, which bearstheir 
 name ftill, and which I take notice of about the 
 midft of the paflage of the River Ouabacbe to that of 
 the MaJJourites ; there lies the Cape of St. Anthony of 
 Padua, and thereabouts live the Savage Nation of the 
 Manfepolea. 
 
 Sept. 5. M. Cavelier and Father Anajlajius arriv’d 
 at the mouth of the River of the Illinois: *tis reckon’d 
 100 Leagues from thence to Fort Crevecoeur , as I re- 
 mark d in my firft Volume. The paflage all the way is 
 clear and navigable by large Veflels. A Cbacuenon 
 mm d Turpin, having feen them enter his Village, 
 iran by land to carry the News to M. Belle Fontaine, 
 Commander of that Fort; he could not believe what 
 he told him, but they follow’d apace after the Bar¬ 
 barian, and came to the Fort, Sept. 14. prefently 
 they conduced them to the Chapel, where Te Deum 
 was thankfully fung. The Canadans that were in 
 1 A/T 5 e »- an d fome Savages fir’d Volleys of Muskets. 
 
 M. de Tonti, whom M. de la Salle defend to be 
 t-ommanderof Fort cy«w«p«r, was gone among the 
 
 IrofjHois 
 
A Voyage into North America. 49 
 
 Iroquois to difpofe thofe Barbarians to an Alliance. 
 Tbefe Travellers were receiv’d with all the kindneft 
 imaginable, and M. de Belle-Fountain omitted no Te- 
 ftimony of his joy to fee them fafely arriv’d. 
 
 It muft beconfeft, that no man can evade his De- 
 ftiny. At the fame time it muft likewife be acknow¬ 
 ledged that the Difafter of M. de la Salle had fome- 
 thing very fatal in it; he undertook this great Voy¬ 
 age with defign to find out the mouth of the River 
 Mefchafip , but unfortunately fell by the wav with¬ 
 out fucceeding in his Enterprize, and yetjuft after his 
 Death, his Brother, Father Anafiajhu, &c. went up 
 that River and arriv’d at the Illinois. 
 
 'Tis indubitable, neverthelefs, that there is an ex¬ 
 cellent Haven at the mouth of this River, as I ob- 
 lerv’d in 80. The entry -into it is very convenient, 
 as may be eafily feen. Of the three arms that corn- 
 pofe this out-ler, I always follow’d the ^Channel of 
 that in the middle. 'Tis a commodious Harbour, 
 and has fevcral places fit to ratio Fortrefies upon, that 
 are in no danger of being overflow’d, as has former¬ 
 ly been thought. The lower part or mouth of the 
 River is habitable, and is inhabited by feveral favage 
 Nations that don’t lie far from it. The greateft Vef- 
 fels may go up above 200 Leagues from theGuIph of 
 Mexico , as far as the mouth of the River of the Illi¬ 
 nois, which River is navigable for above 100 Leagues, 
 and difeharges itfelf into the River Mejcba/ipi. At the 
 lower end of the River dwell leveral other Nations, 
 which I forgot, as the Picbeno, the Oz-anbogus, the 
 langibao , the Ottonika , ths Moznfa , and many 
 others, whole names eafily efcape ones Memory, 
 when one pafles through them without leilurs, orcon- 
 veniency to take necciiarv observations and notes. 
 
 ’Tis probable that M. de la Salle not finding the 
 Mouth of that River in the Sea, fanfied that the Bay 
 ofSt. Lewis, was not above 40 or 50 Leagues from the 
 
 E Mouth 
 
u 
 
 50 A V ojage into North America. 
 
 Mouth of one of its Arms, at leaf! in a ftrait Jine- 
 bur by misfortune lie never was at it. God fets bounds' 
 to all Men, and their Enterprifes, to all the defires 
 of their Hearts, as well as to the vaft Ocean. 
 
 , D ° ubt!efs God permitted it Co to be, that Father 
 Anajtajius who is now Vicar ofthe RecolleftsatC*» 
 bray (houid dilcover 110 Nations in his Travels 
 without raking into the Number many more Savage’ 
 Feople well known to thofe he convers’d with L 
 HJavt, bccaufe they traffick with them, which at 
 rue fame time were never feen by any European. 
 
 1 fefe leoplc, asl have already noted, have very 
 v Horles. (it for any fervice in abundance. They 
 in.nk tnemfelves well paid for a Horfe, if one eives 
 them a Hatcher. . & 
 
 father Anafcafus went from the Bay of St. Lewis 
 to the Gulph of Mexico with defign to fettle a Million 
 
 a ,T° n P S? Ci '“‘ in h5s ld Vo >’ a ge. Father Zenobius 
 Mawbre ReColle#, who (laid behind at the faid Bay, 
 was to have come and joyn'd him, to the end they 
 might fpread the Faith among the neighbourin':* Na- 
 tions. They expected from Europe a great number of 
 Labourers, but the death of M. de la Salle obliging 
 inm to proceed further he don't doubt but Father Ze- 
 vobiHS' has been there to look for him. 
 
 So st may be he is now' in that Country with Father 
 Maximus a Recollect and Native of Lifts in FMm, 
 and that they have left the Sieur c btfdewlk a Millie-, 
 nary of St Sulpicius, at the Million of the Port in that 
 Lay. He determin’d himtelf to be there, becaufe 
 fjcrc were nioeor ren European Families there with 
 their Children, befides ft me of M. Je la SAl/s men 
 have marry’d with the Women of the Country to 
 gment the little Colony. I his is the Extradfof ■ 
 father Anaftafius’s account of his cailfome Voyage, 
 what are become of the people left in thofe parti face 
 that time, we know nor 
 
 Father 
 
A Poyage into North America. 5-1 
 
 Father Anaftafius conceal’d the deplorable Fate of 
 M. de la Salle , becaufe 'twas his duty as well as M. 
 Caveliers the Prieft, to carry the firft news of it to 
 Court, and fecure the effe&s of the deceas'd in the 
 faid Fort of the Illinois , becaufe he advanc'd Money 
 upon the enterprize. He departed from the Illinois 
 in the Spring, 1688, together with Father Anajlafi- 
 us , young Cavelier , M. Joutel , and one Barbarian, 
 who dwells at prefent near Verfailles \ they arriv’d at 
 Quebec, July 27, and fet fail for France the 20th of 
 Augufi following. God granted them a favourable 
 pallage to Paris , after having run through incredible 
 Dangers; and they gave an account of their Voyage 
 to the late Marquis de Seignelay. 
 
 This is the ftory of M. de la Salle’s laft Voyage, 
 which I thoughtmy felf oblig’d to givethe world,be¬ 
 caufe ’tis a continuation of mine, and confirms feve- 
 ral things related in my account. I go on now to de- 
 fcribe the Religion and Manners of thofe barbarous 
 Nations, which I difcover’d in my Voyage. 
 
 £ t 
 
 CHAP. 
 
5* 
 
 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 C H AP. XI. - 
 
 The Authors Reflexions upon the Voyage to China • 
 the opinion of mo(t of the Savages of North A- 
 merica concerning the Creation of the World 
 and the Immortality of the Soul. 
 
 T‘ S n a , co ™ laying, that Truth is the very 
 ^lr U and E ^ ence of Hiftory: now this account 
 of the Manners of the Savages of North America be¬ 
 ing taken fincerely, needs no other recommendation. 
 Novelty and Variety )oyn together to pleafethe Rea¬ 
 der rho I treat of barbarous unpolifti’d People* 
 and therefore I hope, that a Defcription of 200 dif¬ 
 ferent relations, which 1 have either feen my lelf or 
 been inform’d of by feme religious that have beena- 
 mong them, will divert the curious. 
 
 The'Son of God having foretold, that his Gofpel 
 lhoufd be preach'd throughout the Univerfe, the 
 faithful! have always interefled themfelves in for¬ 
 warding the accomplifliment of that Prophecy, and 
 labour d to convert thofe barbarous Nations who 
 have no knowledge of the true God. ’ Tis true, that 
 multitude of favage People which inhabit the vaft 
 Countries of America, have had their Eyes fhut a- 
 gamlt the Light ofTruth: but we have already be¬ 
 gun to preach Chrift crucifi’d to them, to the be/1 of 
 our skill, that we n ight bring them to Salvation. 
 We hope therefore that thofe who are liirr’d up by 
 
 to fir^ C °. f God ’, wiI! n °t be wanting for the future 
 o nmfh what we have begun, but endeavour the Sal- 
 
 i i'fl' vation 
 
A Voyage into North America. n 
 
 vation of fo many Souls, who might not pcrifli, if 
 Chriftians would help them to get out ot iheir 
 natural Blindnefs. To clear the way, and dirett the 
 means to it, we are going to give an account of the 
 Ideas thefe People have of Religion, and like wife of 
 their Manners, that fo we may the more readily 
 contrive the method of their Converfion, and in 
 what manner toinftrutt them, to render them capa¬ 
 ble of receiving the truth and eternal Salvation. 
 
 Our Difcoveries have acquainted us with moft part 
 of North America , fo that 1 don’t queflion if the King 
 of Great Britain , and the States of Holland (hould 
 think fit to fend us back thither to finifli what we 
 have fo happily begun, but we (hould demonftrate 
 what we could never yet give a clear account of, 
 though many attempts have been made to it. It 
 has been found impoffible hitherto to go to Japan 
 by the Frozen Sea; that Voyage has often been 
 fruftrated ; and I am morally allured, that we 
 can never fucceed in it, till we have firft difoove- 
 red the Continent betwixt the Frozen Sea and New 
 Mexico. I am perfwaded that God preferv’d me in 
 all the great dangers of my long Voyages, that I 
 might perfect that happy Difoovery; and 1 here of¬ 
 fer my felf to undertake it, not doubting the fuccefs 
 of the Enterprize ^God willing) provided I am fur- 
 nifti’d with convenient means. 
 
 I don’t wonder, that the learned are at a lofs how 
 America was peopled, and that infinite number of Na¬ 
 tions fettled upon that ivaft Continent. America is 
 half the terreftrial Globe. The moft expert Geogra¬ 
 phers are not throughly acquainted with it, and the 
 Inhabitants themfelves, whom we difeover’d, and 
 who in all likelihood (hould know belt, don't know 
 
 E 3 how 
 
5"4 A y/age into North America. 
 
 tiow their Anceftorscame thither; and certainly if in 
 
 IZTT u a u ed the Art of Writin § ( as thofe Pei. 
 pie do which in a manner makes the dead live a- 
 
 gain, recalls what’s paft, and preferves the memory 
 we ftould not Ufs 
 
 . T [; e § reateft P, art o f the Barbarians in North Amt. 
 r/w have generally a Notion offomefortof Creati- 
 on Of the vVorld; they fay, Heaven, Earth and 
 Mankind were trade byaWoman.andthatfheandher 
 Son govern the World, and for this reafon, perhaps 
 !l' s ’ thac they reckon their Genealogies by Women 
 They fay farther, that the Son is the Author of ali 
 good things, and the Woman of all Evil. That both 
 
 ffv h S enj0y Fe!icit ^ The Woman, they 
 
 i.nn/l ° °. f He ? ven b, S with Child, and lighted 
 
 upon the back of a Tortife, .who fav'd her from 
 
 nefsTXv P .• n r W t 0bie ^ againft the RidicuI °^- 
 nefs of their Belief they ufually anfwer, that fuch 
 
 an Objaftioni is of force with them that make it, but 
 
 , of 6c we.ghtaga.nft them, becaufe they look upon 
 
 hemfdves to be created after another manner thaS 
 
 tne Europeans are. 
 
 Other Savages upon the fame Continent, are of 
 
 opinion, that a certain Spirit call’d Otkon bythe/r,- 
 
 ^ the other Barbarians at the 
 thl wnriH heR , ,V l r<3f St * Laurence > is Creator of 
 nS.ia° W t "»?• that 006 MeJ T ou re P aird ^ af ter the 
 bv their tv V^ 1S L. do they alter and confound 
 
 DeluS Know]ed g e of theuniverfal 
 
 ft,, ^’^ ch their Anceftors probably had: they 
 
 daV hi« r> biS Af e {[° U u or Otkon being a hunting one 
 th/r^ h nn££i 0 t themfe,ves in a great Lake, which 
 ereupon o\ erflowing, cover'd the whole Earth in a 
 
 fhort 
 
A Voyage into North America. > y 
 
 (hort time/and fwallow'd up the World. They add, 
 That this Mefjou of Otkcn gather’d a little Earth toge¬ 
 ther by the help of fome Animals, and made ufe of 
 this Earth to repair the World again- They think 
 the Europeans inhabit another 'A’orld different from 
 theirs; and when we go about to undeceive them, 
 and teach them truly how the univerfe was created, 
 they fay all that may be true enough of the World 
 we live upon, but ’tis quite another thing with theirs; 
 Nay, they often ask us, whether we have a Sun 
 and Moon in Europe as well as they. 
 
 There are another fort of Savages who dwell at 
 the Mouth of the River of St. Laurence and Mefcba- 
 fhi , that tell us a very odd Story ; they fay much 
 'like the former that a Woman came down from Hea¬ 
 ven, and hover’d a while in the Air, becaufe fhe 
 could find no place to fet her Foot upon. The Fith 
 of the Sea compaflionating her, held a Council to de¬ 
 termine who fhould receive her. The Tortoife of¬ 
 fer’d himfelf. and prefented his Back above Water, 
 theWoman plac’d her felf upon ir,and ftaid there. In 
 time the Filth of the Sea gathering and feeling about 
 the Tortoife by little and little, form’d a great extent 
 of Land, which at prefent is that we call America. 
 
 Now fay they, this fame Woman being uneafie at 
 her living folitarily, and troubled to have no body to 
 pafs the time with, more agreeably than' (lie did; 
 there defeended from on high a Spirit, who found 
 her fain afleep with melancholy ; he approachd 
 her unperceiv’d, and from that Conjundion came 
 forth two Sans out of her fide , thefe two Children 
 could never agree together afteF they were grown up. 
 One was a better Hunter than t’other, and every¬ 
 day there was fome feuffling between’em.' Atlenerh 
 
 b 4 their 
 
5 6 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 their Animoficies grew to that Extremity, that thev 
 could not endure one another: One of'hem eS 
 ally was of a very violent humour, and had a mnr 
 
 Jhe laft red f M h ' S Br , other ’ who was better temped 
 the laft unable any longer to fubmit to the rude be’ 
 
 haviour, and ill treatment which the other beftoft’d 
 upon him perpetually, refolv’d to fepara e h mfelf 
 
 SS J ,m . i 1 ° h r e ^ up into Heaven, whence tod 
 note his juft refentment, he rattles his Thunder from 
 time to time over his unhappy Brother’s head. 
 
 Some time after the Spirit came down again to the 
 Woman, and then Ihe brought forth a DauIhlL fr 
 whom fay the Savages is jofiaffij SSSSS 
 
 Univlrfe h ° ° QW takeu ^ one of the largeft Parts of the 
 
 How fabulous foever this Story be in it felf vetw<* 
 
 fSSti T- r Thi * Wo™nX 
 
 anu tne riirth of two Sons, has fomething in it akin 
 
 form%* e * CPt Wh),ft God t00k one of his Ribs to 
 
 The difagreement of the two Brothers referable-; 
 
 Hatr f, d <* c “> «a3S!rSt 
 
 o Jw^1.*?.," 5? ! e . n L«P reft "‘f «*. 
 
 onrk repreients the Death 
 
 f AM, and the Thunder grumbling in theSkv mav 
 M “"V-tt/d with the Curie pronounc’d by 
 the rwerched c„m, for inhumanly killing his Bra. 
 
 IS 
 
 but .dome material principal Being, that 
 
 gives 
 
A Voyage into Nortli America. 57 
 
 gives life and motion to all things ) neverthelefs they 
 profefs their Belief of the Immortality or the Soul, and 
 a Life to come, in which they (hall enjoy all forts of 
 pleafure; as Hunting, and Fifh in abundance, Corn x 
 for thofe that fow it, for (ome never fow Corn ; To¬ 
 bacco and a thoufand other Curiofities and Conve¬ 
 niences They fay the Soul does not leave the Body 
 as foon as it dies, and therefore they take care to lay 
 by the Body a Bow, Arrows, Corn, and fat Meat, 
 for the Dead to fubfift upon till they reach the Coun¬ 
 try of Souls. 
 
 And becaufe they think all fenfible things have 
 Souls, therefore they reckon that after Death, men 
 hunt the Souls of Beavers, Elks, Foxes, Otters, and 
 other Animals. They believe that the Souls of thofe 
 Rackets which they wear under their Feet in Winter¬ 
 time to keep ’em from finking into the Snow, ferve 
 ’em for the fame ufc in the next Life, as well as the 
 Souls of Bows'and Arrows to kill Beafts with. And 
 fo they fanfie of the Fifh likewife, and therefore the 
 Souls will have occafion (ay they for the Arms in- 
 terr’d with the Dead ; the dead Bodies have no need 
 of the Arms and Victuals that arefet by ’em. no lon¬ 
 ger than till they get to the Country of Souls. 
 
 They imagine that the Souls walk vifibly for fome 
 time in the Villages, and partake of their Feafts and 
 Revels, therefore they always fet afide a Portion 
 for them. Nay feveral of thefe Nations go fo far as 
 to make certain general Feafts for the Dead, accom¬ 
 panied with Songs and horrible Cries, Feafts where¬ 
 in all that is brought is to be eaten up ; Dances and 
 Prefents of divers kinds. They take up the dead Bo¬ 
 dies in the Village, and the very Bones of thofe that 
 are confumed which they call Packets of Souls, they 
 
 remove 
 
5-8 A Voyage into North America.' 
 remove 'em from one Sepulchre to annfhpr ** 
 
 with drefs’d Skins, Call£^lSb^JJX bt f d 
 like Riches, fuch as their Country affords • Th^k 61 * 
 
 the V Dfad hiSCOntribUtCS main,y *° the HaSnefi^ 
 
 z& 
 
 relation to the different Places or Employs they’af 
 
 &! ® i e , m > the ^ anner of their living their Wm 
 Peace, Policy and Laws: All extravagant, ridiculous 
 Traditions founded upon Fables invented by their An 
 ceftours, and deliver’d to their Pofterity for crecli- 
 
 then? rUthS \ and 3S fHCh receiv ’ d and firmly held by 
 
 One would be apt to fufpeft that thefe Savages of 
 America originally fprung from the Jews foml of 
 whom might cafually have been wreckt, and caft uf 
 g** * Pm «f «l» World; for they haSclve“S 
 • ?°‘T not un , ^ e theirs; they make their Cabbins 
 
 in the form of Tents, like as the Jews did ; they a- 
 
 dSed t r he n feVCSW,t ? 0l, » and are foperftitioufly ad- 
 to 1 Dlvinat,on from Dreams. They bewail over 
 the Dead with great lamentation. The Women 
 into mourning for their near Relations a whole Yca g r 
 
 feS Wh ? time 'hey abftain from dancing and 
 ftmg, and wear afore of a Hood upon their Heads 
 and commonly ,he Fa,her or Brother oHhe tl 
 ceas d take care of the Widow. 
 
 x .® e 5 d e* ic feems as if God had laid a particular 
 Maledidion upon ’em, as he did upon the Tews- 
 
 Opfnions^ the^h^' a " d pSrfift unalt erably in their 
 'Opinions, they have no certain fix’d Place of Abode- 
 
 rh ey are very lafeivious, and have fuch groff Con-’ 
 
 ceptions, 
 
A Voyage into North America. 59 
 
 ceptions, that when we tell ’em Souls are immortal 
 and immaterial, they ask what they eat in the other 
 World Moreover we may obferv e tome Contormi- 
 tv between Mofes’s Relation of the Creation of the 
 World, and the Belief of thefe Savages about it, as 
 I obferved above. But to fpeak frankly, 
 barians feem to have no kind of U*a of the Ueity, 
 and vet they believe another Life in which they hope 
 to enjoy the fame Delights, that they are pleafed 
 with here. They live without any fubordination, 
 without Laws or any form of Government or Policy. 
 They are ftupid in matters of Religion, fubtle and 
 crafty in their Worldly concerns} but exceffively fu* 
 perftitious. 
 
 
 CHAP 
 
CHAP. XU. 
 
 mat Method is mofl proper to convert the Sin¬ 
 ges what Manner of Perfom they are that 
 ought not to he baptized. * 
 
 - ,l an R d °£ C ™ Jl ' 
 
 •«. ll°y oZ°^ 0n ' “ 1 
 
 SSSSB^SlS 
 
 ^st^SSSSSS 
 
 slsips^ 
 
 SSrS^SSrSS 
 
 ^V efta fe 
 
 is «rrcroubtefo n ma ft ’ {fe 0(Sce ° fa **•*# 
 
 5“ m" d ‘ ’* HZ 
 
 And 
 
A Voyage into North America. 61 
 
 And therefore, one would not venture without 
 much caution, to adminifter the Sacraments to adult 
 Perfons, who pretend themfelves Converts; for we 
 lee that after fo many Years of Million, there has 
 been but little progrefs made, though no pains have 
 been wanting on the Miflionary’s hands. 
 
 So that Chriftianity is not like to gain much ground 
 among the Savages, till the Colonies are ftrengthen* 
 ed by a great Number of Inhabitants, Artifans and 
 Workmen, and then the Treaty betwixt the Barba¬ 
 rians and us Ihould be freer, and extended to all Eu¬ 
 ropeans : But chiefly it Ihould be endeavour’d to fix 
 the Barbarians to a certain dwelling Place, and intro¬ 
 duce our Cuftoms and Laws amongft them, further’d 
 by the Alliftance of zealous People in Europe , Col¬ 
 leges might be founded to breed up the young Sava¬ 
 ges in the Chriftian Faith, which might in time con¬ 
 tribute very much to the Converfion of their Coun¬ 
 trymen. This is a very proper Method without 
 doubt, to ftrengthen the Temporal and Spiritual In- 
 terefts of the Colonies; but the generality of Man¬ 
 kind are bent upon Cain and Traffick/and are little 
 concern’d to procure God’s Blelfing upon them, and 
 endeavour the advancement of his Glory. 
 
 God is often pleas’d to prove his Children, and a- 
 rnongft ’em thofe that employ themfelves in faving 
 Souls, by thofe means that moll' atRhft them, but 
 Dangers, Labours, Sufferings, and even Death it (elf 
 would be welcome to them, provided in facrificing 
 themfelves for the Salvation of their Brethreh, God 
 would afford them the Confolation to fee their Un¬ 
 dertakings Crown'd with fuccefi to his Giorv, and the ~ 
 Converfion of Infidels. 
 
 It 
 
6z 
 
 A Vioyage into North America. 
 
 It is impoffible for us to look uponfo great aNum. 
 ber of People as this relation mentions, and confider 
 the little progrefs Religion has made among the Sa 
 vages of thefe vafi: Countries, but we muff needs ad¬ 
 mire the mfcrutable Decrees of God, and cry.'our 
 With the Apoftle, O the Depth of the Riches of the Wif. 
 dom and Knowledge of God i a great Number of lear¬ 
 ned fecutar Pnefts, and zealous Religious men of our 
 Order have carried the Light of theGofpel into all 
 Parts of the Earth, and labour'd hard in the Lords 
 Vineyard. But God would have us know, that the 
 Converfion of Souls is the Work of his Grace, the 
 blelled Moments of which are not yet come. 
 
 I cannot help faying with Grief, that there is a 
 great deal of difference between the modern Millions 
 into America , and thofe which our Reeollerts began 
 in the New World, and continued in the Southern 
 Parts of America ; there they daily converted Milli¬ 
 ons of Souls; but in Canada we find the Ground bar¬ 
 ren and unfruitful], nothing bur blindnefs and infen- 
 Ability, a prodigious Diftance from God, and even 
 an entire oppofition to the My fiery of our Faith. 
 Whole Ages are requir’d to prepare thefe Barbarians 
 for the Gofpel, before we can expert to fee it flouriffi 
 theie • And to add to our afHirtion God has permit¬ 
 ted that the Country fhould be in the hands of a 
 Company of Merchants, who think of nothing but 
 their private Imscrefr, and are unconcern’d for the 
 Propagation of the Faith. 
 
 Our Ancient Miffionary's Reeollerts did not grant 
 the Sa ramenr o? Bap iffn to the Savages but with 
 great Caution, for fear the Sacred Aiyfrery fhould be 
 profaned by the Barbarians; and in our Days we fee 
 tr ‘ c;c Nations not at ail difpos'd to Chrifliatfiry: They 
 
 feem 
 
A Voyage into North America. 63 
 
 feem to have no Senfe at all of Religion in general 
 to be incapable of the moft common reafonings, that 
 lead other Men to the knowledge of a Deity true or 
 falfe. * . a 
 
 Thefe miferable dark Creatures liften to all we fay 
 concerning our Myfteries, juft as if ’twere a Song; 
 they are naturally very vicious, and addicted to fome 
 Superftitions that fignifie nothing; there Guftoms are 
 favage, brutal and barbarous; they will fuffer them- 
 felves to be baptized- ten times a Day for a Glafs of 
 Brandy, or a Pipe of Tobacco, and offer their Chil¬ 
 dren to be baptiz'd, but all without any Religious 
 Motive. Thofe that one takes the pains to inftruft, 
 for a Winter together, as l my felf taught fome of 
 them while 1 dwelt at Fort -Front enac, give no better 
 figns of Edification, than others in our Articles of 
 Faith: So wrapt up are they in Infenfibility, to what 
 concerns Religion, which occafion’d terrible Checks 
 of Confcience in our Religious, in the beginning of 
 their Million among the People of Canada ; they faw 
 that the few Perfons of years of Difcretion that they 
 had inftru&ed, and afterwards admitted to Baptifm, 
 foon fell again into their ordinary indifference for Sal¬ 
 vation, and that the Children follow’d the unhappy 
 Example of their Parents, infomuch that ’twas no bet¬ 
 ter than a plain profanation of Baptifm to adminifter 
 it to them. 
 
 The Cafe was fearch’d into to the bottom, and ar¬ 
 gued upon with much application; nay, ’twas car¬ 
 ried into the Sorbonne;at length, after all poffible dili¬ 
 gent Scrutiny into the matter it was concluded, that 
 as for Perfons of years, and Children near the Point 
 of Death, and who in all humane Probability would 
 certainly toon give up the Ghoft; they might ven¬ 
 ture to baptize them if they demanded it, becaufe it 
 
 might 
 
64 A Vy/ags into North America. 
 
 might be juftly prefum’d, that in that extremity God 
 mfpird the adult Perfons with his Grace, asW 
 thought it had been obvious in Tome of them - but 
 they declar d, that as for the other Savages ’thev 
 ought not to be baptiz’d, until after long obferS 
 d experience, they were perceiv’d to be well in 
 dined and inflated, havinga right aXehenfion ? 
 our Myfteries, and had quitted fheir barbar^Cu 
 ftoms, they declar'd further that they might a<W 
 
 t0 thofe who dwelt Conft antly among 
 he Chr.ff.ans, were brought up in the fame wS 
 
 living, were civ.liz d, and above all were well inftru- 
 fted, and that they fhould baptize their Children • 
 and they compos’d a Form, and likewife a kind of 
 fundamental Canon, for a Rule to thefe Millionaries 
 
 r ° ^ 1C p rh ^4 were abfolutely to conform themfclvw 
 in .he Functions of their Employ. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
A Voyage into North America. 65 
 
 chap. xm. 
 
 The Barbarians of North-America don't acknow- 
 ledg any God. Of the pretended Souls of ter- 
 rejtrial Animals. 
 
 O Ur antient Millionaries Recollects were acquaint¬ 
 ed with feveral different Nations within the 
 compafs of <Soo Leagues in North-America-, and I 
 have been among many more, becaufe I went far¬ 
 ther than any of them, having made a Voyage all 
 along the River of St. Lawrence , and Mefchafp. I 
 obferved, as my Predeceffors, that the Savages don’t 
 want good Senfe in what concerns the general and 
 particular Interelb of their Nation. I hey purfue 
 their Point, and take right Methods to come to the 
 end of their defigns: but ’tis what I am aftonilh’d 
 at, that whilft they are fo clear lighted in their com¬ 
 mon Affairs, they Ihould have fuch extravagant no¬ 
 tions of the concerns of Religion, the Manners, 
 Laws, and Maxims of Life. 
 
 We mull all of us own, that almolt all the Savages 
 in general have no Belief of a Deity, and that they 
 arc incapable of the common and ordinary Argu¬ 
 ments and Reafonings that the reft of Mankind are 
 led by upon this Subject•, fo dark and ftupid are their 
 Under Handings. At the fame time we may acknow- 
 ledg, that now and then in fomeof them we difeo- 
 ver fome glimmerings of a confus'd Notion of God. 
 Some will coniefs, but very cloudily, that the Sun is 
 God: Others fay, ’tis a Genius that rules in the Air: 
 Some again look upon the Heavens as a kind of Divi¬ 
 nity. But theft only make a fhew of believing fome- 
 ' F thing 
 
66 _ A Voyage into North America. 
 
 thing that we can hardly guefs at: we can’t fiy 
 them to any fettled Principle. The Nations South. 
 %yard feem to believe anUniverfal Spirit that governs 
 all: they imagine after a falhion, that there's a Spi¬ 
 rit in every thing, even in thofethat are inanimate • 
 and they addrefs themfelves to it fometimes, and bee 
 fomethifig of itas we took notice of one Barbarian 
 who made a kind of Sacrifice upon an Oak, attfi 
 
 cba/hii St ’ Ant ° n y °^ Padua t upon the River Mf. 
 
 AH thefe Nations don’t profefs their Belief of a 
 Deity out of any refpect to Religion: They talk of 
 
 nr°f d r a i r , aS 3 thing the V were Prcpofiefied with: 
 or iroackfomly, not regarding any thing they fay 
 
 themfelves, any otherwife than as a kind of Fable! 
 They have no outward Ceremony to fignify that they 
 woi fhip any Deity : There’s no Sacrifice, Prieft, 
 Tempie, nor. any other Token of Religion amonglt 
 
 Their Dreams are to them inltead of Prophecy, 
 Jnfpiration, Laws, Commandments, and Rules, m 
 all their Enterpmes, in War, Peace, Commerce, 
 and Hunting :They regard them as Oracles. The 
 ) he y n ?.v e of their Dreams draws them into 
 
 rHnHt ?{ ne if- ty S be ruIed b y them i for they 
 fV nk tls anUniverfal Spirit, that infpires them by 
 Di earns, and advifeth them what to do: And thev 
 tan y this fo far, that if their Dream orders them to 
 a ie r r ,> 0l ' commit any other wicked Action, 
 they prefently execute it, and make fatisfadion for 
 it mterwards, as we frail ftew anon. The Parents 
 
 Jif™ for T be ! r Chddren > the Captajns for their 
 • There are them, that take up- 
 
 t fr ru ^' t0 int ^. r P ret Dreams, and explain them af- 
 t f? 1 ., r !! ,- own or inclination j and if their In- 
 - utatiorsdont prove true, they are not lookt 
 Coeats ere cue more for that. 
 
 Sofhe 
 
A Voyage into North America* 67 
 
 Some have taken notice, that when they meet with 
 anyCafcade or Fall of Waters, which is difficult to 
 crofs, and apprehend any danger, they throw a Be- 
 ver’s Skin, Tobacco, Porcelain, or fome fuch matter 
 into it by way of Sacrifice, to gain the Favour of thS 
 Spirit that prefides there. 
 
 There’s no Nation but what have their Jugglers; 
 which fome count Sorcerers : but ’tis not likely that 
 they are under any Covenant, or hold communicati¬ 
 on with the Devil. At the fame time, one may ven¬ 
 ture to fay, that the evil Spirit has a hand in the 
 Tricks of thefe Jugglers, and makes ufe of them to 
 amufe thefe poor People, and render them more in¬ 
 capable of receiving the Knowledg of the true God. 
 They are very fond of thefe Jugglers, tho they cozen 
 them perpetually. 
 
 Thefe Impoftors would be counted Prophets, who 
 foretel things to come: they would be look’d upon as 
 having almoft an infinite Power: they boalt that 
 they make Rain or fair Weather, Calmsand Storms, 
 Fruitfulnefs or Barrennefs of the Ground, Hunting 
 lucky or unlucky. They lerve for Phyficians too, and 
 frequently apply fuch Remedies, as have no manner 
 of virtue to cure the Diftemper. 
 
 Nothing can be imagin’d more horrible than the 
 Cries and Ycllings, and the Arrange Contorfions of 
 thefe Rafcals, when they fall to juggling or conju¬ 
 ring; at the fame time they do it very cleverly. 
 They never cure any one, nor predict any thing that 
 falls out, but purely by chance: mean time they have 
 a thouland Fetches to bubble the poor people, when 
 the accident does ndt anlwer their Predictions and 
 Remedies; for, .as 1 faid, they are both Prophets 
 and Quacks. They do nothing without Prefents of 
 Reward. ’Tis true, if thefe impoftors are not very 
 dexterous at recommending themfelves, and bring¬ 
 ing themfelves off, when any pevfon dies under their 
 
 F % hands. 
 
63 
 
 A J oyxge. inio North America. 
 
 tnnds, or Enterprizes do not fucceedas they pro- 
 
 misd, they are foraetimes murdered upon the nkee 
 
 without any more formality. 
 
 Thefe bHnd Wretches are wedded to many other 
 Superfbtrons, which the Devil makes nfe of to delude 
 them, i hey believe that feveral kinds of Animals 
 
 uL e , a ‘ rear ° nabie Soul: The 7 bave an unaccount¬ 
 able Veneration tor certain Bones of Elks, Bevers,and 
 other Beafts \ they never throw thefe to their Does 
 which are the only Domeftick Animals they keep, be- 
 caufe they fervc for Hunting : So they preferve thefe 
 precious Bones, and are very unwilling to raff 
 them into the River. They pretend, that the Souls 
 ot thele Animals come back into the World to fee 
 how they treat their Bodies, and give notice accord¬ 
 ingly to the reft of the Beafts both dead and G- 
 i mg \ and that it theylhould find they are ill us’d, 
 the Beafts of that kind would never let themfelves 
 be taken, neither in this World nor the next. 
 
 One may fay, that the Corruption of Sra has 
 fpread a ftrange Durknefs in the Souls of thef«nhan- 
 py people, and a perfect Infenfibility to all Religion; 
 infomuch that they are not to be match’d in any 
 Hiftory. ’Tis true, they are obftinately fuperftitious 
 m fome thmgs j and yet at the fame time, they are 
 not mov’d by any principle of Religion. Tis 
 noth mg D ut ftrone Prejudice and Imagination. 
 When we difpnte with them, and put .hem to a 
 nonplus, they hold their tongues j their Minds are 
 their Faculties are befotted. If we prnpofe 
 our Myfteries to them, they heed them as indifferent, 
 ly as their own nonfeniical Whimfies. I have met 
 with iome of them, who feera to acknowledg that 
 there is one firft Principle that made all things, but 
 
 j, 1 ccs but a flight Imprcfilon upon their Mind, 
 
 E™ vT^P 3in co its ordinary Deadnefs, and 
 former Infenlibilicy. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
A Voyage into North America. 6g 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Of the great difficulties in converting the Savages. 
 Of: the Prayers they •get by rote ; and of Martyr¬ 
 dom. 
 
 T HE great Infallibility of thefe Barbarians is 
 cauftd principally by their Carelefnefs and neg- 
 ledto be throughly intruded. They come to us, 
 and attend to what we fay, purely out of IdleneF, 
 and natural Curiofity to converfe with us, as we 
 with them ; or rather they are tempted to follow us, 
 by the Kindnefs and Flatteries we exprefs towards 
 them, or becaufe of the Benefit their Sick receive 
 from us,or out of hope to gain by trafficking with us ; 
 or laftly, becaufe we are Europeans., and they think 
 us ftouter than themfelves, and hope we will defend 
 them from their Enemies. 
 
 We teach them Prayers; but they repeat them 
 like Songs, without any <lifi:indion by Faith. Thofe 
 we have catechized a long time, acc very wavering, 
 except lome few: They renounce all, return into 
 their Woods, and take up their old Superftitions 
 upon the lead Crotchet that comes into their Heads. 
 
 I don’t know whether their Predecefiors had any 
 Knowledg of a God; but’tis certain their Language, 
 which is very natural and exprefiive in every thing 
 elfe, is fo barren on this Subjed, that we can’t find any 
 expreffion in it to fignify theDeity, or any one of our 
 Myfteries, not even the mod common : this gives us 
 great perplexity when we would convert them. 
 
 Another great Obdacle to their Converfion is this: 
 Mod of them have feveral Wives ; and in the Nor¬ 
 thern parts they change them as ofteo as they pleafe j 
 
 F 3 They 
 
- 
 
 7 ° A Viojxge into North America. 
 
 jw «u uui uap ; 
 
 Another hindrance lies in a Cuftom of theirs not 
 
 on, which they never trouble themfelves about. - 
 . 4n#tca is no place to-go to out of a defire to 
 faffer Martyrdom, taking the Word in a Theological 
 Scnfd : The Savages never put any Chriftian to death 
 opon the (core of his Religion i they leave every 
 body at liberty in Belief: They like the outward 
 Ceremonies of our Church, but no more. Theft Bar 
 bamns never make War, but for the Intereft of their 
 Nation j they don’t kill people, but in particular 
 Quarrel*, or when they are brutifh, or drunk oriu 
 revenge, or infatuated with a Dream, or fame extra¬ 
 vagant Vifion : they are incapable of taking away 
 any Perfon’s Life out of hatred to his Religion. 
 
 They at e brutifh in all their Inclinations \ they are 
 naturally Gluttons, and know no other Happinefs in 
 t us Life, but the plealiire of eating and drinking: 
 
 * his is remarkable in their very Eyes, and their Di- 
 yerfions, which are always begun and ended with 
 
 PsfTiOii of Rerenjie which Mtev arp nn!7VfTf?H 
 
A Voyage into North America. 71 
 
 ftant, Revilers, Scoffers, and Lafcivious. Infhort, 
 among all the Vices they are addicted to, we can 
 perceive no Principle of Religion Or Morality } and 
 to be fure this mult needs render their Converlion ex¬ 
 tremely difficult. 
 
 To perfwade them to any thing, and difpofe them 
 to the Fait!}, ’tis requifite to make them familiar with 
 us, and contrail a good acquaintance with them j but 
 this is not to be done prefently, becaufe firft of all the 
 Colonies ought to be multiplied, and planted, every 
 where. When they have pafs’d away a few Weeks 
 with the Europeans, they are oblig’d to go to War, 
 Hunting, or Fiffiing, for their Subfiftence, and this 
 depraves ’em extremely. They fhould be fix’d, in¬ 
 deed to clear the Ground, and cultivate it, and 
 work at feveral Trades, as the Europeans do } 3nd 
 then we fhould fee ’em reform their barbarous Cuf- 
 toms, and become more civiliz’d, as well towards 
 one another as us. 
 
 In another place we fhall treat of the other South¬ 
 ern Nations, who feem better difpos’d to receive the 
 Gofpel than thofe of the North. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 The manner of Teaming among the Savages. 
 
 T Hey have Feafts at parting, from one another, 
 Feafts of Thanks, War, Peace, Death, Marriage, 
 and Health. They continue revelling night and day, 
 particularly when they hold thofe Feafts, which they 
 term. Eat up all: For then they don’t permit any 
 one to qui* the Company till all be eaten up. And if 
 a Perfon is not able to fluff any longer, he is oblig’d 
 to hire another into his place. 
 
 F 4 They 
 
72 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 They have other Feafts for the recovery of the. 
 Sick, and iome ordinary common Feafts. Formerly 
 they kept wanton Feftivals, where the Men and Wo¬ 
 men mingled together proraifcuoufly, and plaid molt 
 abominable lewd Pranks. Butif they make fuch En- 
 tercamnicnts now a-days, ’tis very rarely, and when 
 they ai e at a great diltance from the Europeans 
 
 When they undertake a War, ’tis commonly to re¬ 
 cover fatistadiion for foroe Injury, that they pretend 
 has been done to them: Sometimes they engage in it 
 upon account of a Dream, and often as a Fancy takes 
 era: Sometimes they enter into it, becaufeother 
 People jeer them : You’re a Coward, fay they; You 
 never were in a Battle; You have kill’d no Body yet 
 Then are they rouz’d by Honour, and after they have 
 kill d fome FaHow Deer, make a Feaft, and exhort 
 their Neighbours to accompany them in their Enter- 
 prize. 
 
 When they have a mind to go fingly, and alone, 
 they make no Feafts, but only order their Wives to 
 get them fome Meal of Indian Corn, becaufe they are 
 going to War. But if they vvould have Companions, 
 they go through all the Villages to invite the young 
 Men, who take their Platters of Wood, or Bark of 
 Birch: Then they rendezvouz at the Cabin of him 
 who invited them, which they commonly enter, find¬ 
 ing Warlike Songs. Iara going to War, I will re- 
 ^ en £e tiie Death of fuch a Kinfhian, I will flay, I will 
 burn J will bring away Slaves, I will eat Men, and 
 i c i like E.y preflions that breathe nothing but Cruelty. 
 
 When all the Crew are aflembled, they fill the Ket- 
 ■f,. 0 .* tftofetnat have any, or clfe their Porringers 
 Ot VI ood or Bark : then they fit down to eat i and 
 Entertainment, he that invited them to 
 
 ' A!l this while they fpeak not one word, and eat up 
 
 'l' all 
 
A Voyage into North America. 7 3 
 
 all they have given them in profound Silence, except: 
 one or other of’em between whiles applauds him that 
 made the Feaft of War, by anfwering Netbo, or Jo- 
 euenske. When the Orator has done, he fays to’em 
 all ’Tis well; I’ll march to morrow, or within two or 
 three days, according as he hath projected. "1 he 
 next day thofe who are willing to accompany him to 
 the War, go to him, and allure him that they will 
 follow him any where to revenge him upon his Ene¬ 
 mies. ’Tis very well. Nephews, fays he, we ll be 
 going three days hence. And the Savages make 
 ‘ twelve or fifteen Feafts of this kind before they fet 
 
 Thefe Barbarians had us’d to make very lafcivious 
 Feafts. The Leader of the Party ordered a young 
 Woman to proftitute her felf to fuch or fuch a one as 
 he pointed at. If fhe refus’d to gratify them, they 
 attributed all their Mifcarriages in their Enterprises 
 to her ^ fo cunning is the Devil in cherifhing their lm- 
 
 1)13 When th^y marry their Children,they feldom make 
 a Feaft. But if they do think fit to make any, they ob- 
 ferve certain Ceremonies in it: the firft thing they do, 
 is to prepare Viftuals. To this end they fill with 
 Meat thofe Kettles which they have truck’d for with 
 the Europeans, or great Earthen Pots which the Wo¬ 
 men make. They provide as many of them as they 
 defign to have Guefts: when the Meat, or Sagdmtte 
 is drefs’d, they go to invite their Guefts, and this they 
 do by putting a little ftick into their hand and fay¬ 
 ing 1 invite thee to my Feaft. No fooner faid, but tis 
 done, they need not be ask’d twice They all come 
 with their ufual Utenfils. The Mafter of the Cabin 
 diftributes to each an equal Mefs, and he that provides 
 the Feaft,or fbme other in his place,lings without ceal- 
 ing till they have eaten all up: after the Banquet thev 
 fing and dance, and at laft without any Formality of 
 ° • return- 
 
J f 
 
 returning Thanks to the Donor, thev to wl 
 one to their Cabin without fpeaking a word** M Crj 
 nit thole who have convers’d with the Eurnr^° ne 
 murn Tha„kno t h°fe that invitrf them V ' lm ' 
 
 Gucn, J * 
 
 the Dead are more doleful and fad N Ju a for 
 
 Jssas^S’ Ttt thei w “- ^ 
 
 iwssaS^wis 
 
 the feet of the near Kindred t^u A nd aying themat 
 
 •^iSSiSSB! 
 
 Knives with the^H^r ’t^ 7 ° rd,nari , Iy wipetheir 
 upon the f-flln i H ! r ; The y commonly eat fitting 
 they are forc’d i-A ^ nothing to wipe upon. So 
 
 HaE and th f W the.r greafy Knives in their 
 
 freauen'Mi t ^.® 1 ^ aces all over with it. The e 
 
 maS wSSu? r ,th ? Ht doubt ^rden them, and 
 m capable of undergoing much Toil. 
 
 chap. xvr. 
 
 The manner of Adopting the Europeans 4 m# 
 the Savages. 
 
 I SSS ?J former VoInmc that a Barbarian 
 
 or Nadouejfans, named Am. 
 T*** adopted mem the place of his Son, who was 
 
 kill’d 
 
A Voyage into North America. ? 5 
 
 kill’d in Battle by the Miami* ■, and that this help’d me 
 to gain Credit among thefe People, and inlinuate my 
 felf into’em, the better to difpofe.’em to believe the 
 Gofpel. This is what the Millionaiies Ihould aim at, 
 when they are among the Savages', they ihould en¬ 
 deavour to inlinuate themfelves into the Favour of 
 him who is moll famous of all the Leaders among ’em, 
 and molt inclin’d to the Europeans. Then tins Cap¬ 
 tain brings them forth, for that’s the term the Sa¬ 
 vages ufe to lignify their Adoption, and this is done 
 in a Fehft. The Captain, I fay, adopts a Miflionary 
 for his Son, or for his Brqfher, according to bis Age 
 and Quality } after which all the Nation look upon 
 him as if he were a&ually born in their Country, and 
 a-kin to their Captain: by means of this Ceremony 
 he gets admifiion into the Family, in the quality of a 
 Son, a Brother, Uncle, Nephew, or Coulw, with 
 refpea to thofe of the Family, and according to the 
 
 rank they hold in it by their Birth. 
 
 And to carry on their Defigns the better, the Mif- 
 lionaries caufe a Council to be alfembled, to fet them¬ 
 felves off the more to the Barbarians. And here let 
 it be obferv’d, that all Aflemblies, held by order 
 of their Captains, are call d Councils . Thofe that 
 come to thefe AlTemblies, fit upon the Ground in a 
 Cabin, or in open Field * they keep filence whilft 
 their Leader makes his Harangue, and religioully 
 obferve whatever they once firmly conclude upon. 
 
 The Mifiionaries deliver themfelves, in thefe Af- 
 femblies, either by word of Mouth, if they under- 
 ftand the Language of the People, or elfe by Interpre¬ 
 ters. They tell ’em that they come among them to, 
 make an Alliance and Friendlhip witli them, and at 
 the fame time to invite them to traffick with their 
 Nation •, in conclufion, they defire the Savages to per¬ 
 mit them to dwell in their Country, to inltruct them 
 in God’s Law, which is the only way to Heaven. 
 
 The 
 
7 6 ^ V a g e ™to North America.' 
 
 The Savages often accept the Offers of the Minin - 
 nar.es and afTure them they are well latisfied 
 
 their Perfons: but to win the Barbarians Vi, r ? 
 SoSerF ' MUn ° narie5 ,S i ' , . c them Hatchets, Knives’ 
 
 efcctl T I!ea "? lcrcha, ' dizes > whkh Savag? 
 eipecially thoie who never yet had anv r ftmm r’ 
 
 the Europeans, fet a high" value u£I £ 
 
 treat of any Affair with them without Dre<enri™ 
 
 them with foaiething of that nature, which thlv vl 
 
 lue more than we in Europe do Gold After thf? «-i 
 
 Barbarians ir,W M h, tl £ t istofiy, 
 
 that have made Prefentsto them. They publicklv 
 
 “ rc ,l ® n or Children of thefr Countf, ■ 
 
 &vanes 0 ^l? g rh 0 n' ir ^ as 1 m before, tta 
 ges call the adopted Perfons, Sons, Brothers 
 
 £!?”» ^cording to the degrees of Relation • Bn 
 
 ley chenlh them whom they have once adopted as 
 
 ChMren , "“ thtirow Mt “ ral Brothers’or 
 
 thl ! Jrg ?“ 0 ta ^ e n0E ' ce to my former Volume that 
 
 SerSd'° f Sf « ™">ed Otqfci or 
 pierced Pine-tree, call d me his Brother. There are 
 
 anvnnrf ks the oCher Nations of adopting 
 
 He 7 hZ i h f ° ra r Brott j cr .t°a Ca ptain foabfoluteas he. 
 
 Shteen^tinh! ra i t,meS at ?? rwith ^enteen or 
 r Jjl- lt j £*°ns. Enemies to his. and brought awav 
 th^r Heads, or made them Prifoners. 87 
 
 much efteemM ^ and Coura g‘ ous ** very 
 "oothS A?m d c^ h n SaVageS - The y °rdinarilyule 
 they ufe-fh^! than B °4 WSi Arrows > and Maces j but 
 limb’d a< w 7 , de ^ teroun y- They are clear- 
 
 oW d ,d !J b i : 1 never fawa ny Wind, 
 
 crooKed, or deform’d Perfon among them. 
 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 
A Voyage into North America* 
 
 77 
 
 V „|r . . . I* 
 
 CHAP. XVII, 
 
 Of the Marriages of the Savages in North 
 America. 
 
 M Arriage is not a Civil Contrad among thefe 
 People the Man and Woman don’t intend to 
 bind themfelves together for as long as they live, they 
 live together no longer than they agree together, and 
 love one another. As foon as they are difcontented 
 with each other, they fay, as I before obferved, My 
 Wife is uneafy to me, and I to her, fhe’ll agree well 
 enough with fuch a one who is weary of his Wife* 
 there’s no reafon why we four fhould live unquietly 
 all our days: So without more ado, without any Cla¬ 
 mor or Noife, they feparate, and remain perfectly 
 indifferent for each other. 
 
 Thefe Barbarians fometimes marry their Daughters 
 at nine or ten Years old, not that the young Couple 
 come together fo foon, their Age is too green for 
 that, but they exped to make fome Advantage of 
 their Sons-in-law, for when they return from hunting,. 
 the Girl’s Father has the difpofal of the Skins, and the 
 Flefh they have taken: but at the fame time the Girl 
 is obliged to bring the Sagamite , or Milk thicken’d 
 with Indian Corn, and the Meat provided for her 
 Husband’s eating, tho fhc do not yet cohabit with 
 him: fometimes ’tis five or fix Years before they con- 
 fummate. 
 
 When they marry, they make Feafts with great 
 pomp and rejoicing ■> all the Village is invited by turns: 
 every one makes good Chear. After the Banquet they 
 ling and dance, as the Europeans upon that occafion, 
 blit after their own way. 
 
 They 
 
7 s A v *y*g* into North America 
 
 ftall be his Wife: she makes no Reply “S’ t 
 paufes a little while, holding her Head betwivr’hS 
 her Hands while Ihe is confidering what to 
 Man holds his Head in the fame ™ ZS a£ ^ 
 
 mc„ t After ihe has rtonghStefefmS 
 flie fays JSfctljO) or Nlctoua, which fignifiec i am r 1 
 tent: The Man lifts up his 5Sd nreSJ : °"- 
 
 SleW 0 ^’ that , i! •? fty ’ ’ tis 4 Match. At NiSt‘ 
 the Woman or Maid takes an Iron Hatchet o? v 
 
 iier Nation have no Commerce with the Europeans 
 
 Ihe takes one made of Stone that will cut; ihe g0 es 
 
 and cuts as much good Wood as Ihe can carry brE 
 
 it to the door of the Savage’s Cabin, and lavs k 
 
 down ; fhe goes in and fits down by the Man who 
 
 does not offer to carefs her: when they have fatT 
 
 Sher Mfhe n / 0USh T W1 ? 0Ut rpeakin S’ 7 the Husband 
 
 he down repofe your felf: fometime after he comes 
 and lays htmfelf down by her. 
 
 afrer*rhp'r rarc ^ Peen tkat an y of’em make Love 
 ?“f. r r European manner, courting,dallying and' 
 
 dnrorJu- I ’ the 7 «Jnter into^a re -, 
 
 cipiocal Ktndnefs with as much eafe as they broke it 
 
 moS wo C r d s L h 7r rt r r ? <, "i«'y: for they make no 
 oerfSE l^4 han ’ 1 qu,t thee ’ that ’ s all: they are 
 P y i[ different to each other after when they 
 
 fbeh one^nnfh 110 ^ notice than ifthey hadnever 
 
 bcforr rii' jf ^f-l r ‘, S true > the 7 Sometimes fight 
 v c y part, but that happens very rarely. 
 
 the^wfJ h r No ^ thcrn * Savages, and particularly 
 lonVZe' f P mc ! lave tvvo Wives, but not for any 
 
 carries foraetimes the Woman 
 
 y a tke Clotlies and Skins; but at other 
 
 times 
 
 
A Voyage into North America. 79 
 
 times again (he carries nothing away but the piece of 
 Stuff that ferves her for a little Petticoat, and her 
 Blanket. Commonly the Children follow their Mo¬ 
 thers, who continue to nurfe and bring them up, be- 
 caufe the Eftate of every Tribe or Family lies in com¬ 
 mon : there are fome that ftay with their Fathers ; 
 but almoft all the Savages that are divorced leave 
 their Children to their Wives, faying, they don’t 
 believe they are theirs; wherein they frequently tell 
 truth, for there are very few Women among them 
 that withftand the temptation of a woollen Blanket, 
 or any other trivial Prefent. 
 
 When their Children are begotten by an European,, 
 one may perceive it by their Face or Eyes ; the Chil¬ 
 dren of the Savages are perfe&ly black, and not.pale 
 or fwarthy like the Europeans; they fee farther into 
 the Woods likewife, and with more quicknefs than 
 ours: Their Eyes are more piercing than the puror 
 peans. 
 
 If the Savage Women were capable of contra&ing 
 Marriage, ana keep ftedfaft in it, we might marry as 
 many of them as we would to the Europeans} but 
 they have no inclination to Conftancy, they can’t keep 
 their Conjugal Vows inviolated, and are very ready 
 to leave their Husbands: this we know by Experi¬ 
 ence, and their common difcourfe upon this Subject 
 confirms us in it. When a Barbarian who has no 
 Wife paffes through a Village, he hires a Woman for 
 a Night or two, whilft he tarries, from home, oris, 
 hunting Bevers, or for fome Weeks, according to 
 his fancy ; the Parentsnever hinder it; on the contra¬ 
 ry, they make the firff advances, and arc over-joy’d 
 that their Daughters gain fome Clothes or Skins. 
 
 There are all forts of Humours reigning among the 
 Savages, as among the Europeans: fome 1 love their 
 Wives very tenderly, others flight ’em; fome beat 
 and ufe them very hardly, but that does not laft 
 
 . ' long, 
 
SO 
 
 a voyage into North America. 
 
 long, becaufe they turn them off ; nay, there are 
 
 J?“ e ° f u hem ? at are i eaIo,JS ; as I raw one who bea 
 his Wife becaufe file'danc’d with other Men. Thofe 
 that are good Hunters have the choice of the fineli 
 
 laV - e n ° ne but the and 
 
 th - C f L Vl hen the y grow oId > they rarely part 
 
 with their Wives; and if they do, ’tis for weighty 
 
 ?x U /^ e 0f ? em Ilve tv7elv ' e or fifteen Year! 
 with their Wives, who are ready to go diftraded if 
 
 then Husband is a good Hunter, and leaves them: 
 
 !?Sr S th ? ) [ are , f ° grieved at ic » that they poifon 
 themfelves; I have known fome attempt it, and have 
 faved their Lives by giving them Treacle. 
 
 W hen thefe Barbarians go to hunt the Bever in the 
 Spring. tim e they frequently leave their Wives in the 
 Village to low Indian Corn and Gourds, and then 
 they hire another to go along with them: When 
 they are about to return, they give them a Bever or 
 two, and fend ’em back to their Cabin; then they go 
 home to their Wives as tho they had done nothing 
 blameable: but if the laft pleafes them belt, they 
 take her, and turn away the firft without more ado: 
 and thefe Savages wonder the Europeans don’t take 
 the lame courle. 
 
 One day whillt I liv’d at Fort front mac amongft 
 the Iroquois, the Husband of one of our Women of 
 Canada was gone twenty or thirty Leagues from 
 thence; the Women Savages came to her, and told 
 uer lhe had no fenfe, take another Man till your Huf- 
 and returns. 1 his great Inconfrancy, and continual 
 cnange of Women, are two things very oppolite to 
 
 • a i^- aXIrn ? tbe Gofpel, which we endeavour to 
 lnitil into the Savages: ’Tis one of the moft confi- 
 derable Obftacles to the Faith; but among the Sou- 
 
 • a ^ 10ns > and thole ofMefcbafipL Polygamy is 
 in fafinon. j n a n the Countries of the Louifiana there 
 
 ravages to be met with that have often ten or 
 
 twelve 
 
A Voyage into North America. 8 t 
 
 twelve Wives} they frequently marry three Sifters, 
 and give this reafon for fo doing, that they agree 
 better together than with Strangers. 
 
 When a Man has given Prefents to the Father and 
 Mother of the Maid that he would efpoufe, file 
 becomes his own for Life if he pleafc. Sometimes the 
 Parents take their Son-in-law’s Children, and then 
 they give ’em back the Prefents they made ’em, but 
 this happens very feldom. If any Woman defile her 
 Marriage-bed, the Husband cuts off her Nofe, or an 
 Ear or gives her a flafti in the Face with a ftone 
 Knife; if he kill her, he is clear’d for a Prefent which 
 he gives to her Parents to wipe away their Tears , 
 ’tis the very Expteflion they ufe: I have feen fevera* 
 
 markt in the Face. , ; j > ;' •., r 
 
 The Men of the hot Country are mpre jealous of 
 their Wives than thofe of the North ; the firft are 
 fo jealous in this matter, that they wound themfelves, 
 and fometimes kill themfelves in a blind paffion of 
 Love, which prompts them, to this Fury. ; 
 
 One thing is very remarkable, and that is, young 
 Warlike Savages feldom have to do with Women 
 till thirty Years of Age, becaufe, fay they, their 
 Commerce with Women exhaufts their Strength, 
 weakens their Knees, and renders them heavy in the 
 Courfe; thofe that marry before that Age, are look d 
 upon as Men unfit for War or Hunting, and are de- 
 fpifed as Effeminate Perfons. A i: 
 
 The Southern Men commonly go naked, but tneir 
 Women are partly covered with a Skin finely dreit, 
 cfpecially in their Dances and Ceremonies: The 
 Maids oil their Hair, curl it, and tie it in Locks: 
 The Women wear their Hair like the Bohemians, 
 they greaze it too, and paint their Faces w ich all 
 forts of Colours, and fo do the Men. 
 
 « CHAP 
 
82 A V,oyage into North America. 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Of the Remedies which the Savages adminifter to 
 tne Sick ; they have Mountebanks amon? them . 
 Their opinion of Infant-Baptifm when the Au¬ 
 thor liv'd there. 
 
 VT 7 k en the Savages are tired and weary, they go 
 
 i ?X a v St ? VC ? recruit the length of their 
 Limbs, and if they have a pam in their Thighs or 
 
 Legs they tako a Knife or a Stone that wiU m 
 which they can get, and make a fort of Scarification 
 upon the Part that is grieved i while the Blood run" 
 they fcrape it off with their Knives or Stones till it 
 has done running, and then they rub the Wounds 
 with Bear s Oil or Deer’s Greafe •, this is a foveraign 
 Remedy, and they life the fame when they have g a 
 Pam in the Head or Arms. * 
 
 a U * rC Tertian °r Quartan Agues, they compofe 
 
 a Medicine with a certain Bark which they boil, and 
 
 1 u t0 r’ C ^ ck PerPon to fwallow after his Fit. 
 They have fome knowledg in Herbs and Roots, with 
 which they cure feveral Diftempers : They have in- 
 fallible Remedies againtf the Poifon of Toads, Rattle- 
 inakes, and other dangerous Animals; but none a- 
 gamlt the Small-Pox, as we have. 
 
 There are Mountebanks or Quacks among them, 
 whom we have already fpoke of under the name of 
 J Sglets • Thele are lome old Savages who live at 
 oner Peoples Coll, by counterfeiting themfelves 
 rhyiicians, after a very fuperflitious manner. They 
 make no ufe of Medicines but when they are call’d 
 
 fi l Perr ° n ’ t,iey niake themfelves befued to, 
 10 they were to do fome thing verv extraordina- 
 
 ' '• i-cr- r y 
 
A Voyage into North America'. 8 $ 
 
 rv and difficult: at Taft; after much intreaty the 
 Juggler comes, he approaches the lick Perfon feels 
 his Body all over •, and after he has well handled and 
 confide r’d it, he tells ’em, there’s a Charm or Spell 
 in fuch a part, in the Head, Leg, or Stomach, or 
 where he thinks fit; he adds, that he -mull iremove 
 this fame Charm, and that it can t be done but with 
 a great deal of difficulty, and ’tis neceflary to do a 
 great many things before he can fucceed in it. 
 
 This Charm is very malign, fays he, but it mull be 
 fetch’d out coll what it will: The lick Perfon s Friends, 
 who blindly believe all the Quack tells em, make 
 anfwer, Tcbagon , Tcbagon , Courage, Courage, Do 
 what you can, fpare nothing that you know wnl do 
 him good : Then the Juggler fets himfdf down very 
 gravely, and confiders fometime what Lemedicsto 
 make ufe of ; by and by he rifes up, as out of a Pro¬ 
 found Sleep, and cries. It lhall be done. You fuch a 
 one, the Life of your Wife, or your Child is very 
 dear to you, then fpare nothing that may fave it; 
 you mult make a Feaft to day, you mult give one 
 thins or other, you muft do this or that: at the hime 
 time they never fail to execute the Juggler s Orders. 
 The other Savages go all together into a Stove, and 
 ling as loud as they can baul, and make a ratling with 
 Tortoife Shells, or Pumkins made hollow, and Indian 
 Corn put into ’em; and to this Noifc the Men and 
 Women dance: nay, fometimes they get drunk with 
 Brandy bought of the Europeans, and then they maKe 
 a horrible din and clutter. . , 
 
 While they are all taken up in this manner, tne 
 old Juggler keeps dofe to the lick Perfon, whom he 
 torments by holding his or her Feet and Legs, and 
 gripes them hard in the part where the pretended 
 Charm lies; he makes ’em fuller incredible Pam, c- 
 nough to kill ’em, and often makes the Blood itart 
 out at the end of their Fingers or Toes; at length 
 
 G 2 alter 
 
— 
 
 84 A 'Vi.oynge into North America. 
 
 after he has done all this, he (hews a piece of Skin a 
 lock of Woman’s Hair, or fome fuch thing, and 
 tells ’em ’tis the Charm which he has drawn out of 
 the fick Perfon's Body, when at the bottom ’tis all a 
 
 piece of Roguery. 
 
 Once I baptiz’d a little Child which feem’d to me 
 to be at the point of Death, and next day it recover¬ 
 ed contrary to my expectation; a while after the Mo¬ 
 ther told feveral Women in my prefence, that I had 
 cur’d her Child : She took me tor a Juggler, faying, 
 
 1 was an admirable Fellow, that I knew'how to cure 
 all forts of Difeafes with fprinkling Water upon the 
 Head and Face. 
 
 The Jugglers fpited'at the Woman’s Character of 
 me, began to tell ’em that I was of an aufteer me¬ 
 lancholy Humour, that I fed upon Serpents andPoi- 
 fbn, that fuch Folks as I eat Thunderbolts. The 
 Savages were aftonilh’d at the It range Stories thefe 
 Rafcals made upon me on the occafion of baptizing 
 the Child; nay, thefe Impoftors added, that we had 
 all Tails like Bealls, that the European Women have 
 but one Pap in the middle of the Brealt, and bear 
 five or fix Children at a time, and a great deal more 
 of fuch fluff to make us odious ; and this they did 
 becaufe they thought that what 1 did would Men 
 their Credit, and thereby they lhould be depriv’d of 
 many a good Treat. 
 
 Thefe poor honefl People, who are eafily put upon, 
 began to fufpect me: when one of them fell fick, they 
 came and ask’d me whether I had poifon’d him tr 
 no ? and threaten’d to kill me if I did not cure him. 
 
 I had much ado to,undeceive them, and I was forc’d 
 more than once to appeafe them, by giving them 
 Knives, Needles, Awls, and other fuch like Trifles 
 of little value with us, but much priz’d by the Sa¬ 
 vages. After which I gave a Dole of Treacle to the 
 fick Man, and fo I quieted them. Thi Savages often 
 
A Voyage into North.America. 85 
 . r-rnurfe to our Medicines, becaufe they find 
 JhJm good - if they don’c operate fuccefsfully, they 
 Sv the fe»lt upon the Remedy, and never upon the 
 ill Difpofition of the fick Perfon. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 Of the Confitution or Temper of the Savages. 
 
 G Fnerallv fpeaking, the Savages are very robuft *, 
 E the Men Women and Children are of an extra¬ 
 ordinary vigorous Conftitution, therefore they 
 verv mely troubled with Diftempers. They dont 
 know what it is to cocker and make much of them- 
 felves • thence it comes that they are not fubjeft to 
 nv 0 f thofe Indifpofttions that our Luxury bung 
 upon us. They are not affli&ed with Gout, Dropfy, 
 o? Gravel nor are they feveri(h i they are hardly 
 ever incommoded with thofe Difeafes which theEu- 
 roneansS into for want of Exercife ; they are Tel- 
 dom troubled with lofs of Appetite i they areufual y 
 addifted to gormandizing, infbrauch that they n 
 The Nieht to eat if by good luck they have M.at 
 S h 4 S b“ hem, they fall to it like Doga wuhout 
 
 ge An n d S y?t they can undergo fuch long Abftinences 
 as would doubtlefs be intolerable to the Europeans ^ 
 Vometimes they fall two or three days together, when 
 there’s a necellity for it, and this without difconti- 
 nuing their butinefs, whether it be War, Himting, 
 TFilhing. The Children of the Savages that dwell 
 towards the North, arc fo harden’d againfl Cold, 
 that in the depth of Winter they run ftark naked 
 through the Snow, and tumble about m it, as Ho..s 
 wallow in the Dirt in Summer-time. When the Aw 
 
 G a lS 
 
$6 A VoyagfintoNotth. America. 
 
 itinging. Wi ‘ h ******> they don't feel tbcir 
 
 fort to harden their Skin for any Fatigue • hi! f< ?' 
 mull be confelt that this great fnfenfibilitv^J^ 11 
 to a ftrong robult Temper of Body: for thooS 
 Hands and Face are always expos’d to the Weather 
 
 rh C M Cy arC n6 I er t - he Icfs fenflble of Cold. When 
 the Men are a hunting, efpecially in the SoriS 
 
 time, they are almoll continually in the Water nor 
 
 ofkSand'p Ver7 , COld ’ 3nd yet the y conC 
 out c™Xinta! y ’ and re “ rn t0 tWr Qbi » «*■ 
 
 reim Ihfn7 g0 ~ t0 w f■ they r ° metims PO“ tta"" 
 
 iclrn behind a i ree three or four days together 
 
 eating a very mconfideraWe quantity of ViaSSgS 
 
 Sm.T V and m US ? eyliehid in ambulh, waiting 
 to make a favourable Blow. They are indefatigable 
 Hunters, they run very fwift, and hold it a long 
 
 The Nations of Louifiana, and of the River Met 
 ebafipt run much falter than the Iroquois ; there are 
 no wih. Bulls or Cows which they 2 can’t overtake. 
 
 igv5of the South, tho inhabiting a warriier 
 Country ana more plealant than the North, are no 
 n ° r ^f s accuftomed to Fatigue than the 
 avages o the North, who fleep upon the Snow 
 wrapt in a little Blanket, without Fire or Cabin. 
 
 r J^ C ° m ? tUt i 0I L of the Wom ™ is no lefs vigo¬ 
 rous than tint of the Men Savages, nay they are ra- 
 
 hei more robuxt j the Women ferve for Porters, and 
 
 . ft /° n F’ that fe,v Men in Smpe can match 
 j ,Vf’ lbe y 1 rarry Packs that two or three can hard- 
 Jv lilc up: I Obferv’-d in myfirlt Volume, that they 
 
 s£?r rfc-M 7 tlVO 0r tb r ec hundred Weight, and fet 
 Chilu en a top of their Burden, who are not 
 
 reckon’d 
 
A Voyage into North America. 8 7 
 
 reckon’d into the Weight i ’tis true they walk flow- 
 lv but they never fail to meet at the rendezvous of 
 the Nation. The warlike Savages undertake Voya- 
 res of three or four hundred Leagues, as if twere 
 So more than a kind of Walk, zsfroxnAmJterdamto 
 Breda: They don't carry their Provifion along with 
 them *, they live by Hunting, which they follow dai¬ 
 ly • they take nothing but a Knife with them to make 
 Bows and Arrows with > and in that Equipage they 
 will go a thoufand Leagues, if they are minded. 
 
 The Women Savages are brought to bed without 
 any Rreat Pain •, fome of them go out of their Ca¬ 
 bins? and retire afide by themfelves into the next 
 Wood ; they comeback agen prefently With the new 
 born Infant wrapt up in their Blanket or drefied 
 Skin: Others, if they fall in labour m the Night 
 time, deliver themfelves of their Children upon 
 their Mats, without crying out, or making a noife; 
 the next morning they rife, and go about their or¬ 
 dinary Bufinefs within doors or without as tho no¬ 
 thing had happened. ’Tis further remarkable, that 
 whilft they are big with Child, they Itir about, car¬ 
 ry heavy Burdens, fow Indian Corn, and Gourds, 
 and what is more ftrange than all this, their Chil¬ 
 dren are very well lhap’d, there are few of them 
 crooked or deformed, they have no natural Faults 
 in their Bodies *, which makes me think, that their 
 Mind might cafily be fefhioned as comely as th«j out¬ 
 ward Form, if it were cultivated, and if we con- 
 verfed more with them to polilh their wild barba¬ 
 rous Huipour. 
 
 G 4 
 
 CHAP. 
 
S3 J Voyage itito North America. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 A Defeription of the Savages that go clothed *nd 
 
 thoje that do not, 
 
 ' . * , '. ; >. ! T 
 
 T HE Savages of North America on the North fide 
 according to the report of their antient Men’ 
 Jave always gone cover’d, even before they had anv 
 Commerce with the Europeans: The Men and Wo’ 
 snencloth’d themfelves withdrefs’dSkins t they are 
 new cioth'd after the fame manner, but thofe that 
 have any Commerce with the Europeans have com¬ 
 monly a Shirt, a greatCoat, fuch as the Mariners 
 wa^ch m at Sea,with a Cowl to it,and a Piece of Cloth 
 made felt before and behind, with a Girdle which 
 comes down to their Knees \ befides they have Stock¬ 
 ings without Feet, and Shoes made of drefs’d Skins. 
 
 When they return from Hunting in Spring time 
 they truck their Skins for Coats, Shoes, and Stock¬ 
 ings : fome wear Hats out of complaifance to the 
 Europeans: Some of them have Blankets in which 
 they wrap themfelves, holding two Corners of it in 
 their Hands, When they are in their Cabins, they 
 'nfreirgo quite naked, having nothing but a Piece of 
 ' whlch they gird about them in Winter; ’tis 
 tafren cl about their'Loins, and hangs down between 
 their Thighs as low as their Knees. When thefe 
 . f,?. Jnans 8° to War, or to a Feaft, they dawb > 
 % their Faces all over with red or black, that their E- 
 Rfmies may not perceive they turn pale with Fear; 
 i.iey iikewife colour their Flair red, and cut it in fe- 
 •c/ !- ^^* ons > Specially the Northern Savages: 
 i hole of the South cut all their Hair off, or rather 
 
 *’’] v k ^ r C 0i ^ W ^th Stones made red hot in the Fire, 
 , iw e tliat it does not cover their Ears: 
 
 Often 
 
AVcjige North America. 89 
 
 times the People of the North let their Hair 
 ^ Curls on one fide, and cut the other 
 
 .^r ^ccotdioR W their Fancy. There are 
 feme Sat rob their Hair with Oil, and afterwards 
 1^1, feme Down, or little Feathers upon then- Heads : 
 
 5?* fallen near their Ears great Plumes of 
 Feathers^ fome matethemfelves Wraths of Flow- 
 
 teatners, 1 , c , em Qf Birchen B ark, and fome ot 
 
 drefs’d Skins that are work’d very prettily =, rhcn 
 like fome of Cefaf s Soldiers, who were 
 painted of divers colours: They make themfelves 
 
 wiSentheygotoFeatts they MM- - “ ' 
 
 • hpfl- Attire bedawb their lempies, men 
 
 Aeeks and the Tip of their Chin with three forts 
 
 of Colours. The Boys go ftark naked, ull they at, 
 of Marriage; and even when they area 
 Sd thofe pSs which Nature forbids Men to dif- 
 cover areAlways kft uncover’d,at leaft it they have 
 no Shirts. The Girls begin to put on Clothes at. hv e or 
 fix veats old * and then they wear a piece ot htul, 
 that Ses round ’em, reaching from their Louis dow n 
 + _ their Knees When we went into their Cabins to 
 Inftroa them? weobliged them to cover themfel.es: 
 this produced a good effect ; now they begin to be a- 
 fhanfd of their Nakednefs, and cover them,thes a 
 
 little better than they did formerly. 
 
 -pis otherwife with the Women and Git Is of the 
 Louifiana and Mefcbafipi-, which heSonthweftofC^ 
 mda above a thoufand Leagu^fro^^^^ 
 we fee the Girls in purvs naturaltbus , ) uft a . s the -? can J 
 out of their Mothers Belly, til theyr arrive at a 1 fit 
 Age to marry, mean time they are not at a 
 lham’d, becaufe us’d toil; . The 
 
yw m , 
 
 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 The Men and Women, and efpecially the Girl* 
 wear about their Necks Sea-lhells of all Fi™ S ’ 
 they have likewile fome Shells of about “ fc 5 
 length,made like little Pipes,which they wear at tl?* 
 Sirs for Pendants; they have Girdles hkewife W 
 made of Porcelain, others of Porcupines Hair’ c 
 of Bears Hair, and others of both mixt togethe/™ 
 
 fcTndfflVat' r Th CCO i tl,eirSteeI “** 
 
 of Bears Borers, Octeis, black Squirrels, Wolves 
 Lions,and other Animals: they put 'em on when thev 
 go to their Afiembhes,where they lit as gravely when 
 they are at Council, as the Senators of Venice. But 
 the Savages of our laft dilcovery betwixt the frozen 
 Sea and new Mexico, appear always naked upon all 
 occafions ; from whence I took occafion to tell Father 
 Gabriel one day, whilft we were among the ISimU 
 that probably thefe Savages did not fin in Adam : be- 
 
 nf° V S d hlt ? lfe,f ™ th Leaves, and then had 
 a Habit of Skins given him after he had finned • 
 
 Je r£miI? SeS reaI,y n ° raanner of Shame to 
 fee themfe!Ives naked ; nay they feem to glorv in it. 
 
 uft of Jhof t T kWith ? 1 F an0ther ’ they make 
 "S of t} !° fe T erms ’ T ? heta W> which are obfcene, 
 and would make me write 'em down, when I wasa- 
 
 p°“ c c ^P ol i n S a Dictionary, and they nam’d the 
 Parts of the Body to me. Whatever I might fay to 
 
 r* t !\ C Jj G u brte l dela - Rihmd > 1 ara neverthelefs per- 
 rZA i S. 7 the Scripture, that all Mankind are de- 
 lcended from Adam ; and therefore the Savages as 
 well as others, are Sinners, and corrupted by their 
 Birth, and that they will perilh in their Sins if they 
 
 bv .OT t ^ e G ,°^P e ^» f° r there is no other name 
 y which Men can be faved, but the Name of Chrift. 
 
A Voyage into North America. 91 
 
 1 know very well that Habits don’t fave any body ; 
 but in ffiort, if thefe poor People would obferve the 
 
 Precepts of the Law of Nature, God would work a 
 
 Miracle in their favour, rather than fuffer ’em to pe- 
 rifh in their Ignorance i and therefore he would lead 
 ’em into the knowledg of the Truth, by means wor¬ 
 thy of his Wifdom. But thefe unhappy Barbarians 
 violate the Precepts of the Law of Nature, and live 
 in Stupidity, and in the diforders of a dreadful Cor¬ 
 ruption, which makes them fit Subjeds of God s 
 Wrath. Meantime, Chriftians, who are guided 
 by the faving Rays of Truth, ought to labour with all 
 their power to bring thefe people out of Darknefs^ 
 into the Light of the Gofpel, and the Hopes of Salva¬ 
 tion •, fo may they help to extend the Kingdom ot 
 Jefus Chrilt, and draw thefe poor People out of Con¬ 
 demnation. To this end they fhould eftablilh ltrong 
 Colonies, who by trafficking and converfmg with the 
 Barbarians, will difpofe them to imitate them i en¬ 
 gaging them, by works of Charity, their Inftrudi- 
 ons, and good Examples, and even by the temporal 
 Advantages to be drawn from the Convention of 
 the Europeans, to embrace Chriftianity, and grow 
 more tradable and gentle than they are yet. 
 
 CHAP. XXI. 
 
 Of the Games and Sports of the Savages. 
 
 T HE Savages of NoribAntericaJiMG Games for Men, 
 and fome for Children. The Men commonly play 
 with the Stones of certain Fruits that are red on one 
 fide, and black on t’other they put’em into a pretty 
 large Wooden-platter, not very deep,or into a Bafon 
 of Birchen-Bark, upon a Woollen-Blanket, on a dref- 
 
92 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 fed Skin, upon a Robe of Bever^or upon a large Coat • 
 they play fix orfeven together, but there are but two* 
 of them that take hold of the Platter with their two 
 Hands, one after another * they lift it up, andftrike 
 the^ bottom of the Platter againft the Ground, to 
 huftle theft: fix Nuts together: If there come up five' 
 red or five black all of a fide, that’s one Game won; 
 for they make three or four Games up, more or lefs 
 according as they agree upon it. All the Gamefters 
 play one after another. Some of the Savages are fo 
 addided to this Game, that they play away all they 
 have to their great Coat, and their furr’d Gown. 
 When they are at play, they bawl as loud as they can 
 hout, as earneftly as if the decifion of an Empire were 
 in agitation : and all this Noife is made as if the 
 Chance were to be forc’d to fall on their fide. When 
 they fhake the Platter, they lay themfelves over the 
 Shoulders at fucha rate, that they make themfelves 
 b ack and blue with the Blows. Thefe Barbarians 
 J)lay often with Straws or Broom-fprigs, half a foot 
 long,or thereabouts * one of them takes them all in his 
 hand, and then without looking upon ’em, divides 
 emmto two parts, and gives one to his Adverfary: 
 he that has the even, or the odd Number, according 
 to their Agreement, wins the Game. The Children 
 Savages hkewife often play at this Game, but they 
 don t follow it lo eagerly as the Men, becaufe they have 
 nothing toftake. The Women or Girls dare not med¬ 
 dle with this Game, I don’t know for what reafon. 
 
 The Savages have another Game which is common 
 among the European Children. They take fome 
 Grains of Indian Corn, or fome fuch thing; then they 
 put fome intotheir Hand, and ask how many Is there: 
 *e that guefles right, has the Game. 
 
 They have another Game that they are mightily 
 pJeas d with, and which in the Iroquoife Tongue they 
 Ctill Ounon boycott j but ’tis rather a fort of Trafficit 
 
 and 
 
A Voyage into North America. 91 
 
 , n<1 Rartcr than a Game: they go into two Cabins, fix 
 ®7 anA r. x in to t’other, then comes one with 
 fome Skins Clothes, or what elfe they have a mind 
 Struck? hegoes to the Door of one G>bm, makes 
 Jl^n rrv • and they within anfwer him: then he 
 ?elfs ?m toeing aloud, that he will fell or truck 
 
 SSslisSKsa* 
 
 "o 
 
 U'the Mler if he is willmg to exchange^ 
 
 th ^h°eft C«emSSte accompauyd with Songs on 
 
 this Game of Ounon hayentt , than to fee one an t . 
 This word fienifies a Bargain, where one gives to re- 
 JeSeSn The Iro^Jfc Tongue has compound 
 wTdst St •, one of iheir Terms imports r ^ U “ 
 fire or fix French words, as the word Gann ^°^ c 
 muchus to fay. This is an Affair of great Confe- 
 
 ^Thcir Children have another Game. They rakes 
 
 Bow h a?d?wo d Sticks, one big onelittte: theyhoid 
 
 the little one in their right hand* an , , 
 
 up as high as they can with the other y another look* 
 where it falls, and throws it up again to him that 
 • ftvuck it. This Play bas Ukewifc fomethingm it 
 
94 Voyage into North America 
 like fome among the European Children Tk k, 
 wife rnake a Bail of Ruihes or Leaves of India ^ lkc * 
 they tofs it up, and catch it upon the ooirJlS S?** 
 The great People, Men and Women P n,r f 3 ft,ck - 
 Winter-Nights a telling Stories oveY th* , the 
 the Europeans. 6 s over the Fl re, like 
 
 CHAP. xxir. 
 
 The manner of making War among the Savor es ■ 
 they are very much given to Revenge. * ’ 
 
 T H ^ Savages of America have almoft all of them 
 
 S ti0n ’ 
 
 Sfreftletd^ ‘“ r ,? ° r fo "' rth ’ GeneratTo" Tfe 
 
 Enemies fituatS ^f War to g ethe r againft all their 
 
 their five CanS 5 -X d °u° Le f gUes diftant from 
 
 Millions of Men "nnd^ 7 have deltroy’d above two 
 thefahabiBntaV” l a . r ; T n Waa ” al| y at War with 
 
 ProviliM^to °thecI»^f UCC ^ii rS and 
 
 - 4 flttddflnsy the Iroquois may be able 
 
 to 
 
A Voyage into North America. 95 
 to min them by the means I have mention’d in my 
 former Volume. 
 
 Thefe Barbarians can fpoil their Neighbours, as we 
 have feen by experience: we can gain nothing from 
 them becaufe all we can plunder them of is worth 
 little or nothing j this fierce Nation I fay may eafily 
 ruin the Commerce of their Neighbours, who chief¬ 
 ly fubfift by trafficking for Skins with the Savages. 
 The European Colonies are not yet Efficiently efta- 
 bliffied and cannot fubfift without Commerce, unlefs 
 every thing necefiary for Life be brought them by 
 Ship; befides the Iroquois are mifchievous and crafty, 
 yet like wild Horfes who don’t know their own 
 ftrength. They are certainly ahle to ruin their Neigh¬ 
 bours, for fome lleafons which ’tis not prudent to 
 make publick. They had utterly ruin’d Canada long 
 ago if the Count de Frontenac had not won them by 
 gentle Methods. They are the moft formidable Ene¬ 
 mies that the Europeans • have in 2 W America. I do 
 but hint it here, but am aflur’d of it, from what I 
 know of thofe People} I dwelt four whole years a- 
 mongthem-, I have been fent in AmbalTy to them, 
 and they have carried themfelves very friendly to¬ 
 wards me. _ .. 
 
 This People have over-run many different Nations, 
 and thofe who remain’d, after the defeat of the reft, 
 have been always forc’d to fubmit to them. The 
 Iroquois have confiderable Men among them who are 
 their Leaders, and Governours in their Voyages. 
 They have thofe under their command that will fol¬ 
 low them any where, and do all they are order’d : 
 before they fet out, they provide themfelves with 
 good Firelocks, which they get in exchange from the 
 Europeans for Skins, and Furs; they take Powder, 
 Ball, Kettles, Hatchets, and other neceflary Imple¬ 
 ments in War along with ’em. Sometimes they, 
 have young Women and Lads, that go along with 
 
 them, 
 
g6 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 them, and in t-his Equipage they march three or four 
 
 hundred Leagues. 
 
 When they come near the place where they defign 
 to make War, they march flowly, and with much 
 Precaution ; then they never kill Deer with their 
 Fire-arms, for fear of being difcover’d. They only 
 ufe their. Arrows upon that occafion, which make no 
 noife in flying. When they would (hoot, they look 
 carefully round them, for fear of a Surprize. They 
 fend out Spies, to difcover the entrance into the Vil¬ 
 lages, and fee where belt to begin their Attack: and 
 if they fee any one come put of the Village, they fur- 
 prize and take him if they can, which often fuc- 
 ceeds, for they do all their bulinefs treacheroufly. 
 
 There are no Warriours like them in all America 
 for Ambufcades: They lay wait for Men hid behind 
 a Tree, as tho their Deiign was uj>on feme Beaft. 
 They count him a good Warriour that is cunning at 
 fitfprizing his Enemies. If they can efcape handfom- 
 ly, after they have given their blow, frpm their Ene¬ 
 mies, they are reckon’d incomparable Fellows. Tis 
 not to be conceived how quick they skip round a Tree 
 with their Firelock in their hands, to defend them- 
 felves from the Arrows that are fhot againft them. 
 They are very nimble at leaping over the Trees that 
 are fallen down in the Woods as they run along: 
 There are abundance of thefe Trees of a prodigi¬ 
 ous bignefs, which fall with Age for want of Roots. 
 
 Their Patience is admirable. When they find they 
 are cleverly hid, they’ll tarry behind the Trees two 
 or three days without eating, waiting a favourable 
 opportunity to kill an Enemy : Sometimes they will 
 Ihew themfelves fairly, but that’s very rare} and if 
 they were, not almoft certain of their Blow, they 
 would hardly expofe themfelves, at leaft if they 
 were not back’d by a great number of their own 
 Men. Thefe Barbarians don’t fight after the Euro- 
 
A Voyage into North America. 97 
 
 pean manner, becaufe they are not difciplin’d to it, 
 and can’t keep their Ranks fo well in open Field : So 
 that they can’t ftand a Skirmilh fo well as our well- 
 commanded Souldiers: Neverthelefs when they are 
 once heated and animated, they are incomparable. 
 
 They are fo malicious, that they fet fire to the 
 Corn of their Eurojfeans when they are dead: They 
 burn their Houfes, which they fet fire to with lighted 
 Cotton, faftned to the Point of their Arrows} for 
 then the Fire takes hold of the Boards, or of the 
 Straw that their Houfes are thatch’d with \ for the Sa¬ 
 vages let fly their Arrows with extraordinary Force, 
 lo the Houfes are foon in flames. 
 
 There was an Iroquois Captain nam’d Attre'ouati On- 
 nontage\v:hom I know very well, that treated me very 
 civilly in my Voyage from Fort Frontenac to New Fork 
 we call’d him La grande Gueule, becaufe his Mouth was 
 very broad. This Man having roifs’d his aim once, ran 
 into Montreal in Canada , crying, Hal, Hat , which 
 is a token of Peace : He was very kindly receiv’d, 
 and made much of; nay, they gave him conficTera- 
 ble Prefents, becaufe they had a mind to have a good 
 llnderftanding with that infolent Nation. When he 
 withdrew from that place, the perfidipus Villain 
 kill’d two Men tint were thatching a Houfe. 
 
 Some of them told us, that they had been at War 
 as far as the Spanilh Territories in New Mexico •, for 
 they faid they had been in a Country where the Inha¬ 
 bitants gather’d red Earth, and enrry’d it. to fell to a 
 Nation who gave them Hatchets and Kettles for it j 
 and this they faid was call’d the Country of Gold: but 
 ’tis likely this Story was devifed by the Savages to 
 pleafe Mi r/dela Salle when he was at Fort Frontenac, 
 for he greedily heard any one talk of the Golden 
 Mines of St. Bar be. I have been among all the Nati¬ 
 ons of the River Mefcbaftpi , none of whom except 
 the Ultnois ever mention’d the Iroquois etherwifethan 
 
 H as. 
 
c/S A Voyage into North America. 
 
 as certain People, Neighbours of the Illinois , from 
 whom they learnt that the Iroquois are a very cruel 
 People, tho not ft out, but only becaufe they have 
 Fire-arms, which they bought of the Europeans: 
 That without them they never durft attack the Illi¬ 
 nois , who are valianter, and more dexterous at Bows 
 and Arrows than the Iroquois . 
 
 Thofe Iroquois that don’t go out to fight, are con¬ 
 temn'd, and pafs for Cowards and effeminate Men. 
 Becaufc they have Firelocks, they invade all other 
 Nations between both Seas, that is, from North to 
 South: and no Nation in America can ftand before 
 the Iroquois on account of their Firelocks. This ren¬ 
 ders them haughty and infufferable. They call thera- 
 felves Men by way of Excellence, as tho other Na¬ 
 tions were no more than Brutes in comparifon with 
 them. 1 underftand very well how to bring thelro- 
 quois to a better pafs: but a Man of my Character 
 ought not to talk of thefe Matters but with a great 
 deal of Caution, becaufe the Remedies which I 
 would propofe, might perhaps be worfe than the 
 Mifchief that might be apprehended from that Na¬ 
 tion } nevertheless I may difcover my Sentiments in 
 due time to thofe high Perfons that put me upon wri¬ 
 ting this Work. 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 Of the Cruelty of the Savages in general , and par¬ 
 ticularly of the Iroquois. 
 
 T Here are no Savages in all the Northern America 
 but what are very cruel to their Enemies. We 
 are aftonilh’d at the Cruelties which the Neroes , the 
 Vioclejians , and the Maximins infiifted upon the 
 Chriftians, and have their Names in Deteftation and 
 
 Hor- 
 
« 
 
 A Voyage into North America. 99 
 
 Horror -, but the Inhumanity of the Iroquois towards 
 the Nations they make Slaves goes beyond theirs. 
 
 When the Iroquois have kill’d a Man, they tear off 
 the Skin of his Scull, and carry it home with them as 
 a certain Mark of their Viftow. When they take a 
 Slave, they tie him, and make him run after them , 
 if he is unable to follow them, they gck their 
 Hatchet into his Head, and thereleavehim, after 
 they have torn oft Skin and Hair together. They 
 don’t fpare fucking Infants: If the Slave can march 
 after them, they tie him every Night to a piece of 
 Wood maie in the form of a St. s Crofs, and 
 
 leave him expos’d to be flung by the Manttgotra, and 
 other Flies, in Summer-time, andufehim as cruelly 
 
 3S Sometimes they fix four Pegs into the Ground, to 
 which they fatten their Slaves by the Feet and Hands, 
 and fo leave them all Night long upon the Ground 
 in thr fiiaiDeft Weather. I omit a hundred other 
 Sufferings wh ch theft mifcrabft Wretches undergo 
 inrSdav time When they are near their Villages, 
 they fet up loud Cries, whereby Nation know. 
 
 go Slhe enVrance of the Village to receive them. 
 there they make a lane for the Slaves to pafs through 
 them But ’tis a lamentable Reception for thef 
 noor People: The Rabble fall upon them llkcD °S* 
 or Wolves upon their Prey, and be & in ^° 
 them, whillt the Warnours march on in 1 ll , 
 mightily puff d up with their own Exploits. 
 
 ' Some kick the Slaves, fome cu £S^ hc ™;/ 0 ^ 
 them with Knives, fome tear off their Ears, cut o 
 their Nofes or Ups, infomuch that moft of them die 
 In this pompous Entry. Thofe that relifl againft 
 thefe rude Treatments, arc referv’d for exemplary 
 Punifhment. Sometimes they fave fome, but very 
 
 H 2 . rareiy. 
 
 
 
 
 IM 
 
ioo A Voyage into North America. 
 
 rarely. When the Warriours are entred into their 
 Cabins, the Antients afiemble themfelves to hear the 
 relation of what pafs’d in the War. 
 
 If the Father of a Savage Woman has been kill’d, 
 they give her a Slave for him, and ’tis free for that 
 Woman either to put him to Death, or fave him 
 alive. When they burn them, this is their manner *, 
 They bind the Slave to a Port by the Hands and Feet, 
 then they heat red-hot Mufquet-barrels, Hatchets, 
 and other Iron Inftruments, and apply them red-hot 
 from head to foot, all over their Body they tear off 
 their Nails, and pluck out their Teeth •, they cut 
 Collops of Flelh out of their Backs, and often flea 
 their Skin off from their Scull: After all this they 
 throw hot Alhes upon their Wounds, cut out their 
 Tongues, and treat them as cruelly as they can de- 
 vife. If they don’t die under all thefe Torments, 
 they make them run and follow them, laying them 
 on with Sticks. ’Tis reported, that once a Slave 
 ran fo well, that he fav’d himfelf in the Woods, and 
 could not be catch d again. 'Tis probable he died 
 there for want of Succour. But what is r morc for- 
 prizing is, that the Slaves ling in the raidft of their 
 Torments, which frets their Executioners exceed- 
 * ingly. 
 
 An Iroquois told us, that there was one Slave whom 
 they tormented cruelly •, but he told them, You have 
 no Ingenuity, you don’t know how to torment your 
 Prifoners, you are mere Blockheads •, if I had you in 
 my Circnmllances, I’d ufe you after another manner: 
 but whilft he ran on fo boldly, a Savage Woman gets 
 a little Iron Spit heated red-hot, and runs it into 
 his Yard: thisanade him roar *, but he told the Wo¬ 
 man, You are cunning, you underftand fomething, 
 this is the Courfe you Ihould take with us. 
 
 When the Slave which they burn is dead, they eat 
 him 7 and before his Death they make their Children 
 
 drink 
 
A Voyage into North America. IO i 
 
 drink fome of his Blood, to render them cruel and 
 inhumane. Thofe that they give their Lives to, live 
 with them, and ferve them like Slaves: But in length 
 of time they recover their Liberty, and are look’d 
 upon as if they were of their own Nation. 
 
 The Savages of the Louifiana that dwell along the 
 River Mefchafipi , and are lituated fevenor eight hun¬ 
 dred Leagues beyond the Iroquois , as the JJfati and 
 Nadouejfans , amongft whom I was a Slave, are not 
 lefs brave than the Iroquois ; they make all the Na¬ 
 tions round them tremble, tho they have nothing 
 but Bows, Arrows, and Maces. They run fwifter 
 than the Iroquois , and make excellent Souldisrs; but 
 they are not fo cruel : they don’t eat the Flelh of 
 their Enemies ; they are content to burn them only. 
 Once having taken- a Huron , who eat humane Flelh 
 as the Iroquois , they cut off pieces of Flelh from his 
 own Body, and faid to him. You that love Man’s 
 Flelh, eat of your own, to let your Nation know, 
 who now live among the Iroquois , that we deteft and 
 abominate your Barbarities ; for thefe People are 
 like hungry Dogs that devour any fort of Meat. 
 
 The Iroquois are the only Savages of North Ame¬ 
 rica that eat humane Flelh \ and yet they don't do it 
 but in cafes extraordinary, when they are refolvcd 
 to exterminate a whole Nation. They don’t eat hu¬ 
 mane Flelh to fatisfy their Appetites ’tis to lignify 
 to the Iroquoife Nation, that they ought to fight with¬ 
 out ever fubmitting to their Enemies} that they 
 ought rather to eat them than leave any of them 
 alive: They eat it to animate their Warriours; for 
 they always march out of their five Cantons the day 
 after, to fight with their Enemies} for the Rendez¬ 
 vous for next day is always given notice of by thefe 
 Fealts of humane Flelh. 
 
 If the Europeans would leave furnilhing the Iroquois 
 with Fire-arms, who are not fo dextrous at the Bow 
 
 H 3 as 
 
A Voyage into North America. 
 
 as formerly they were, the other Nations on the 
 contrary having always been us’d to it, they would 
 infallibly root out the Iroquois, their common Ene¬ 
 mies, who dwell four and five hundred Leagues off 
 from them. 
 
 The firft Canton of the Iroquois lies Southward} 
 they call it Gagniegucz., or Agniez. •, they are Neigh¬ 
 bours to New York, and have three Villages which I 
 have been in •, they make up at molt four hundred 
 fighting Men. The Second lies Weft ward, and is 
 call’d Onneiouts , and make up about a hundred and 
 fifty fighting Men. The Third, which lies Weft- 
 ward likewise, contains the Onnontaguez. or Moun¬ 
 taineers, a People fituated upon the only Eminence 
 in the five Cantons •, they border upon the Onneiouts. 
 Thefe Onnontaguez. have three hundred fighting Men, 
 the braveft of the whole Nation. The Fourth lies 
 about thirty Leagues further Weftward, where live 
 the Oionguens , divided into three Villages, who make 
 up three hundred fighting Men. The Fifth contains 
 the Tfonnontouans , towards the further end of the 
 Lake Frontenac or Ontario: Thefe People are the 
 great eft and moil confiderable of all the Iroquois Can¬ 
 tons. They comprehend in three Villages three hun¬ 
 dred fighting Men. - 
 
 l took notice in my firft Volume of three or four 
 Iroquois Villages on the North-fide of the Lake Onta- . 
 rio or Frontenac, but I don’t deferibe thefe five Can¬ 
 tons of the Iroquois, here, 1 only treat of their Barba¬ 
 rity and Cruelty *, and add, that they have fubdued 
 a very large Country fince within thefe fifty Years; 
 that they have extended their Territories, and mul¬ 
 tiplied their Nation by the Dcftruction of other Peo¬ 
 ple, the Remainder of whom they have made Slaves, 
 to encreafe the number of their Troops. 
 
A Voyage into North America. 
 
 10 ? 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 The Policy of the Savage Iroquois. 
 
 T H E Councils held continually by thefe Barbari¬ 
 ans for ordering all Affairs, ought to be confi- 
 der’d as the main Caufe of their Prefervation, and 
 the fear all the Nations of North America arc put in 
 by them. They afiemble for every little Bufinefs 
 that is to be done, and confult what Methods they 
 Ihould take to gain their ends. 1 hey undertake no¬ 
 thing hand over head. Their old Men, who are 
 wife and prudent, watch over the Publick. If one 
 complains that fome Perfon has robb'd him, they 
 carefully inform themfclves who it is that committed 
 the Theft. If they can’t find him out, or if he is 
 not able to make reftitntion, provided they Ire fatif- 
 fied of the truth of the F3&, they repair the Lofs, 
 by giving fome Prefent to the injur’d Party, to his 
 Content. 
 
 When they would put any body,to death for an 
 enormous Crime, which they are perf.vadcd he is 
 guilty of, they hire a Man, whom they make drunk 
 with Brandy, (for thefe People are very greedy of 
 it) that the Kinsfolks of the Criminal may not feck 
 to revenge his Death. After this drunken Man has 
 kill’d him whom they judg culpable, they give this 
 account of it, that he that (lew him was mad and 
 drunk when he ftruck the blow. Formerly they had 
 another way of doing Juftice, but ’tis abrogated •, 
 They had a Feaft once a Year, which we may call. 
 The Feajl of Fools , for they play’d the fool in good 
 earneft, running about from Cabin to Cabin: If du¬ 
 ping that day they fell foul upon any one, or took 
 away any thing, the cunning old Men nest day ex- 
 
 FI 4 cus’d 
 
A Voyage into North America. 
 
 cus’d all, by alledging thathc that had done the Mif- 
 chief was a Fool, and- out of his Wits. Afterwards 
 they made fome Prefents to wipe off the Tears of 
 the Kindred of the Perfon who was malicioufly kill’d. 
 His Relations take up with that Excufe, without pro- 
 ceeding to take Vengeance. Then thefe Antients 
 hir’d fecretly forae Perfon, whoa&edthe Fool, and 
 kill’d the Perfon pitch’d upon, whom they had a 
 mind to get rid of. 
 
 The Iroquois have Spies and hir’d Men amongft 
 them, who come and go perpetually, and tell them 
 all the News they learn. They are crafty enough in 
 Traffick, and are not eafily cheated : They delibe¬ 
 rate maturely upon every thing, and endeavour to 
 underftand the Merchandize before they truck for 
 
 11 The Onnontagez or Iroquois Highlanders, are more 
 fubtle and crafty than the reft: They fteal very cle¬ 
 verly. The Algonkains, the Abenaki , the Efquinmes , 
 and abundance more Savages that have convers’d 
 with the Europeans, are as (harp and politick as 
 they. We are not to imagine that thefe People are 
 Brutes, and irrational; no, they underftand their 
 own Intereft thorowly, and order their Affairs very 
 difcreetly. - f 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 
 Of the manner of the Savages hunting of all forts 
 of wild Beafis ; and of the admirable Indufiry of 
 the Caftors or Bevers. 
 
 T HE Savages obferve the Time, the Seafons, 
 and the Moons of the Year very punctually, for 
 the better ordering their Hunting. They call their 
 
 Moons 
 
A Voyage into North America. 105 
 
 Moons from the Name of thofe Beads which at cer-. 
 tain Seafons appear the moil. They call it the Moon 
 of Frogs, when the Frogs make their greated Croak¬ 
 ing •, the Moon of Bulls, when thofe wild Beads 
 appear -, the Moon of Swallows, when thofe Birds 
 come, and when they go. Thefe Barbarians reckon 
 thus, becaufe they have no other Names to diftin- 
 guifh their Months by, as the Europeans have. They 
 ufe the lame Method for the Names of Men, calling 
 them. Serpent, Wolf, wildcat, &c. 
 
 They hunt the Elk and the Goat in all feafons, but 
 more particularly when there is Snow. They hunt 
 the wild Cat and the Marmofet in Winter, the Por¬ 
 cupine, the Cador, and the Otter, in the Spring, 
 and fometimes in Autumn. They take the Elk in a 
 Gin by the Neck, and the Cador in Traps. They 
 kill the Bears with Arrows or Shot, upon the Oaks, 
 when they eat the Acorns. As to the wild Cats, 
 they fell the Tree they are upon, and then the wild 
 Dogs fall upon them and kill them. The Porcupines 
 3 re taken almod in the fame manner, with this only 
 difference, that they kill them with a Hatchet or 
 Fork when the Tree is fain \ for the Dogs cannot 
 come near them, becaufe of their Quills, which are 
 iharper than Awls, and by little and little pierce a 
 Man’s Body in an imperceptible manner j and thefe 
 Beads would infallibly be the death of thofe Dogs 
 that (hould attack them: Thefe Beads do not run 
 fwift, a Man mayeafily overtake them in running. 
 They take the Otters in Traps, where they kill them 
 with Arrows or Shot*, they feldom kill them with 
 Hatchets, becaufe they are quick of hearing. 
 
 They take the Cadors in Winter under the Ice: 
 they fird feek out for the Ponds where thefe Beads 
 frequent: The Cadors Ihew an admirable Skill and 
 Indudry in the building of their little Cabins. 
 When they change-their abode, they feek outfome 
 
"To6 A Voyage- into North America. 
 
 Brook in the Woods, and run upwards along the 
 fide of it till they come to fome flat Country'fit to 
 make a Pond in } then after they have well viewed 
 the place on every fide, they begin to make a Darn to 
 flop the Water: They make it as ftrong as the Dam 
 of any Pond in Europe, of Wood, Earth, and Mud} 
 and fometimes fo big, that it will hold the Water of 
 a Pond a quarter of a League long. They make their 
 Cabins about the middle of the Level of the Water, 
 with Wood, Rulhes and Mud} and they plaifter it 
 all fmoothly together with their Tails, which are 
 longer, and full as broad as a Mafon’s Trowel. Their 
 Buildings are three or four Stories high, filled almoft 
 full with Mats of Rulhes} and in this place the Fe¬ 
 males bring forth their young ones. 
 
 At the bottom of the Water there are Pafiages 
 higher a nd lower. When the Ponds are fro7.cn over, 
 they can only go under the Ice: And for thisreafon 
 at the beginning of Winter they make a provifionof * 
 Afpen Wood, which is their ordinary Food: They 
 keep it in the Water round about their Cabins. 
 The Savages pierce the Ice about the Cabin with the 
 handle of a Hatchet, or a Stake; and when they have 
 made a hole, they found the bottom of the Water to 
 find out the Cajlo/s Track: When they have found 
 it out, they put in a Net a fathom long, and two 
 Sticks, of which the two ends below touch the ground, 
 and the two ends above come out at the hole which 
 is made in the Ice. They have two Cords fixed to 
 the Sticks to draw the Net when the Cajtor is taken. 
 
 But to the end this fubtle Animal may not fee the 
 Net, nor the Men, they ftrow upon the Surface of 
 the Ice rotten Wood, Cotton, and fuch like things. 
 One Savage Hays to watch near the Net with a 
 Hatchet, to draw the Caflor upon the Ice when he is 
 taKan, while the reft break down the Cabins with a 
 great deal of labour: They often find more than a 
 
 foot 
 
A Voyage into North America. 107 
 
 foot of Wood and Earth, which they are forced to 
 hew with a Hatchet, for it’s frozen as hard as a Stone. 
 When that is done, they found the Pond, and where- 
 foever they find a hole, they break the Ice for fear 
 the Cafiors Ihcfuld hide themfelves under it ^ fo dri¬ 
 ving them from place to place, at lall they force 
 them into the JSiet. They labour extream hard in 
 this manner from Morning ti^ Night without eating 
 any thing, and for all that do not take above three 
 or four Cafiors. 
 
 The Savages take alfo in the Spring thefe Bealts 
 with Traps in the following manner. When the lee 
 begins to thaw, they obferve the Cafior s Pallage, and 
 fet a Trap there } they bait that with a branch of 
 the Afpin Tree, which reaches from the Trap into 
 the Water. When the Cafior finds, he eats it even 
 in the Trap, and then falls upon two great Logs of 
 Wood which kill him. They take the Martens al- 
 moftin the fame manner, with this difference only, 
 
 that they put no Bait for them. 
 
 All the Southern Nations towards the River Mef- 
 ebaftpi are more fuperftitious in their hunting than 
 the Northern People, and particularly the lroques. 
 Wbilft I was among them, their old Men, fix days be¬ 
 fore the hunting ot the wild Bulls, fent four or five 
 of their molt expert Hunters upon the Mountains to 
 dance the Calumet with as many Ceremonies, as a- 
 mongft the Nations to which they are wont to fend 
 Embalfics, to make fome Alliance At the return ot 
 thefe Men, they openly expofed for three days togc- 
 ther one of the great Caldrons they had taken from 
 us • Thev had wreathed it round about with Feathers 
 of divers Colours, and laid a Gun acrofs over it. 
 For three days together the chief Wrf®. of a Captain 
 carried this Caldron upon her Back, with Flowers in 
 great Pomp, at the head of above two hundred Hun¬ 
 ters : They all followed an old Man who had faftned 
 
 one 
 
i0 8 A Vojige into North America. 
 
 • one of our Indian Handkerchiefs to the end of a Pole 
 like a Banner, holding his Bow and Arrows; he 
 marched with great Gravity and Silence. 
 
 This old Man made the Hunters halt three or four 
 times, to lament bitterly the Death of thofe Bulls 
 they hop’d to kill. At the lalt Stage where they 
 refled, the mofl antient of the Company fent two 
 of their nimbleft Hunters to difcover wild Bulls. 
 They whifpered foftly to them at their return, before 
 they began the hunting of thefe Beafts. Afterwards 
 they made a Fire of Bulls Dung dry’d in the Sun, 
 and with this Fire they lighted their Pipes or Calu¬ 
 met r, to fmoak the two Hunters which had been fent 
 to make the Difcovery. Prefently after this Ceremony 
 was over, a hundred Men went on one fide behind 
 the Mountain, and a hundred on the other, to en- 
 compafs the Bulls, which were in great numbers: 
 They killed a great many in Confulion with their 
 Arrows, and we Europeans feven or eight with Shot. 
 Thefe Barbarians did wonderfully admire the effedt 
 of our Guns: They heard the Report, but did not 
 fee the Bullets, and they thought it was the Noife 
 that kill’d them ; they laid their Hands on their 
 Mouths, to fhow how much they were aftonifh’d,and 
 cry’d out, Manfa Ouacancbe , which fignihes in the 
 Language of the Itfati, this Iron does harm to Men 
 and Bealls: We do not know how it comes to pafs, 
 but we cannot fufficiently admire how the Noife of 
 this round Inflrument breaks the Bones of the largell 
 Beall. 
 
 It was no fmall matter of Admiration to fee thefe 
 Savages flea the Bull, and get it in pieces ; they had 
 neither Knives nor Hatchets, but fome few they had 
 Hole from us, and yet they did it dexteroufly with 
 the Point of their Arrows, which was made of a 
 lharp Stone: Afterwards they took Stones,and broke 
 the Bones, and with them they feparated one piece 
 
A Voyage into North America. , 09 
 
 from another. After they had thus difmembred the 
 Beall, their Wives dry’d them in the Sun, and the 
 Smoak of fmall Fire, upon wooden Gridirons. 
 While the Hunting lafts, they only eat the Intrals,and 
 the worft pieces of thofe Bealls, and carry the bell 
 part home to their Villages, which are above two hun¬ 
 dred Leagues from the place of hunting. 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 Of their manner of Fifbing. 
 
 HE Savages that dwell in the North filh in a 
 
 1 different manner from thofe of the South: The 
 firft catch all forts of Filh with Nets, Hooks, and 
 Harping-irons, as they do in Europe. I have feen 
 them filh in a very pleafant manner: They take a 
 Fork of Wood with two Grains or Points, and fit a 
 Gin to it, almoll the fame way that in France they 
 catch Partridges: After they put it in the Water, 
 and when the Filh, which are in greater plenty by 
 far than with us, go to pafs through, and find they 
 are entred into the Gin, they fnap together this fort 
 of Nippers or Pinchers, and catch th£ Filh by the 
 
 Gills. 
 
 The Iroques in the filhing feafon fometimes make 
 ufe of a Net of forty or fifty fathom long, which they 
 put in a great Canorv \ after they calf it in an ova! 
 Form in convenient places in the Rivers. I have 
 often admired their dexterity in this Affair. They 
 take fometimes four hundred white Filh, beGdes ma¬ 
 ny Sturgeons, which they draw to the Bank of the 
 River with Nets made of Nettles. To filh in this 
 manner, there mull be two Men at each end of the 
 Net, to draw it dexteroufly to the Ihoar. They take 
 
 like 
 
no A Voyage into North America. 
 
 likewife a prodigious quantity of Fifh in the River 
 of Niagara, which are extreamly well tailed. 
 
 The Filhery is fo great in this place, that it’s capa¬ 
 ble to furnilh with Fifh of feveral forts the greatell 
 City in'Europe. It’s not to be wonder’d at. The Fifh 
 continually fwim up the River from the Sea towards 
 the Spring, to find convenient places to fpawn in. 
 The River of St. Laurence receives in this part of 
 Niagara an infinite quantity of Water from the four 
 great Lakes of which we have fpoke, and which may 
 properly be called little frefii-water Seas. This 
 great deluge of Water tumbling furioufly over the 
 greatell and moll dreadful Leap in the World, an 
 infinite number of Fifh take great delight to fpawn 
 here, and as it were llagnate here, becaufe they 
 cannot get over this huge Cataraft: So that the quan¬ 
 tify taken here is incredible. 
 
 Whilll I was in the Mifiion of the Fort Frontenac , 
 I went to fee this Leap, which comes from a River 
 in the Nforth, and falls into a great Baffin of the Lake 
 Ontario, big enough to hold a hundred Men of War. 
 Being there, I taught the Savages to catch Fifh with 
 their Hands: I caufed Trees to be cut down in the 
 Spring, and to be rolled down to the Bank of the 
 River, that 1 might lie upon them without wetting 
 me* and after I thrull my Arm into the Water up 
 to the Elbow, where I found a prodigious quantity of 
 Fifh of different Species -, I laid hold on them by the 
 Gills, gently ftroking them ■, and when I had at feve¬ 
 ral times taken fifty or fixty large Fifh, I went to 
 warm and refrelh me, that I might return frelher to 
 the Sport: I call them into a Sack which a Savage 
 held in his hand. With thefe I fed above fifty Iroquefe 
 Families of Ganncouffe, and by the afiillance of 
 Monfieur de la Salle, taught them to plant the Indian 
 Corn, and to inltrud their Children in the Chriftian 
 Religion at the Fort Frontenac. 
 
 The 
 
A Voyage into North America. 111 
 
 The moft confiderable Fifhery of the Savages is 
 that of Eels, which are very large, of Salmons, and 
 Salmon-trouts, and white Fifh. The Fifnery of the 
 Iroqucs j4gnies which are near New Fork , is of Frogs, 
 which they take, and put them whole into their Cal¬ 
 drons without skinning them, to feafon their Saga- 
 mite , which is a fort of Pottage made of Indian Corn. 
 The Salmon-trouts are taken in many other places of 
 the Rivers which fall into the Lake of Frontenac: 
 There are there fuch quantities of them, that they 
 kill them with Sticks. . 
 
 They take the Eels in the Night when it’s calm: 
 Thefe come down all along the River of St.Laurence, 
 and are taken in this manner. The Savages put a 
 large Bark of the Birch-Tree, with fome Earth upon 
 the end of a Stake, after which they light a fort of 
 a Flambleau which gives a clear Light •, after that 
 one or two go into a Canow , with a Harping-Iron 
 placed between the two Grains of a little Fork: when 
 they fee the Eels by the light of the Fire, they ftrike 
 an infinite quantity of them, becaufe the great white 
 Porpofes which purfue them make them fly towards 
 the Banks of the River where the Porpofe cannot fol¬ 
 low, becaufe of the fhallownefs of the Water. They 
 take Salmons with Harping-Irons, and the white Fifh 
 with Nets. 
 
 The Southern People which dwell upon the River 
 Mefcbafipt are fo crafty, and have fuch quick and 
 piercing Eyes, that tho the Fifh fwim very fait, they 
 will not fail to ftrike them with Darts a great depth 
 in the Water,which they fhoot with a Bow. Befides, 
 they have long Poles fharp at one end, which they 
 dart mofl dexteroufly: In this manner they kill great 
 Sturgeons, and Trouts, which are feven or eight fa¬ 
 thom in the Water. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
112 
 
 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 Of the Vtenfils of the Savages in their Cabins ; 
 and of the extraordinary manner they fir ike Fire. 
 
 B Efore the Europeans arrived in the North Ame¬ 
 rica, the Savages of the North and the South 
 made ufe (as they do even to. this day) of Pots of 
 Earth •, efpecially thofe that have no Commerce with 
 the Europeans, and can procure no Caldrons or o- 
 ther Utenfils: Inftead of Hatchets and Knives, they 
 make ufe of fharp Stones, which they tie with 
 Thongs of Leather in the end of a cleft Stick. In¬ 
 ftead of Awls, they make ufe of a certain fharp 
 Bone, which is above the Heel of the Elk : They have 
 no Fire-Arms, but only make ufe of Bows and Ar¬ 
 rows. . 
 
 For to make Fire in a new manner, new, and quite 
 unknown to us, they take a Triangle of Cedar 
 Wood, of a foot and half, in which they make fotne 
 Holes of a fmall depth: After they take a Switch or 
 little Stick of hard Wood} they twirl it between 
 both their Hands in the Hole, and by the quick Mo¬ 
 tion, produce a kind of Duft or Meal, which is con¬ 
 verted into Fire *, after they pour out this white Pou- 
 der upon a Bunch of dried Herbs,and rubbing altoge¬ 
 ther, and blowing upon this Pouder, which is upon 
 the Herbs, the Fire blazes in a moment. 
 
 When they would make Platters, or wooden 
 Spoons, or Porringers, they drill their Wood with 
 their ftone Hatchets, and hollow it with Fire, and 
 do after fcrape it, and poliih it with a Bevers 
 Tooth. 
 
 The 
 
 I 
 
A Voyage into North America. 11^ 
 
 The Northern Nations, who have commonly ve¬ 
 ry fharp Winters, makeufe of Rackets to go over 
 the Snow j they make them of the Thongs of Skins 
 cut out as broad as little Ribbons, neater than our 
 Tennis Rackets : Thefe Rackets have no Handles, as 
 thofe. of the Tennis Court, but they are longer and 
 broader \ they leave in the middle a Slit tne breadth 
 of their Toes, that they may beat more liberty to 
 walk with their favage Shoes: They wiil perform a 
 greater Journey in a Day than without them. With¬ 
 out thefe Rackets they would link into the Snow, 
 which is commonly fix or feven foot deep, and fome- 
 times more in Winter; in fome places it’s higher 
 than the highefi: Houfes in Europe^ being driven into 
 Mountains by the Wind. 
 
 Thofe Savages which are near the Europeans, 
 have at prefent Guns, Hatchets, Caldrons, Awls, 
 Knives, Tongs, and fuch like UtenJiIs. 
 
 To plant their Indian Corn, they make ufe of 
 Pickax s of Wood, for want of thofe of Iron: They 
 have large Gourds in which they put the Fat of Bears, 
 wild Cats, &c. There is none, but has his leather 
 Bag for his Pipe and Tobacco. 1 he Women make 
 Bags of the Rind of Linden Tree, or of Rufhes, 
 to put their Corn in : They make Thred of Nettles, 
 and of the Bark of the Line Tree, and of certain Roots, 
 whofe Names I know not. • To few their favage 
 Shoes they make ufe of very fmall Thongs: They 
 make likewife Mats of Bulrufhes to lie upon } and 
 when they have none, they make ufe of the Barks of 
 Trees. They fwathe their Children as the European 
 Women do, with this only diilerence, that they 
 make ufe of fwathing Bands of large Skins, and a 
 fort of Cotton, that they may not be too hot: After 
 they have fwathed them, they tie them upon a Board, 
 or Plank with a Skin Girdle * after they hang this 
 Plank upon the Branch of a Tree, or in fome place 
 
 I ot 
 
114 Voyage into North America. 
 
 of their Cabin, fo that their little ones never lie in 
 Bed j they hang perpendicularly: And to the end 
 their Urine may not hurt them, they place conveni¬ 
 ently a piece of Birch-tree Bark} fo that it runs a- 
 way as it were in a Gutter, and touches not the 
 Child’s Body. 
 
 Thefe Women have fo great a care of their Chil. 
 dren, that they avoid all carnal Commerce with their 
 Husbands, till the Child be three or four Years old: 
 The European vVomen do not fo, becaufe *tis eafy 
 to fupply the defed of the Mother’s Milk, with the 
 Milk of Cows, and other domeftick Animals but 
 they have none of this fort of Cattel: They avoid 
 therefore the Commerce of their Husbands while 
 they are Nurfes \ for if they (hould prove with child, 
 their Infants would undoubtedly perilh, they having 
 nothing futable for a Child of feven or eight Months 
 old. . 
 
 The Savages which have Commerce with the Eu¬ 
 ropeans, begin to make ufe of Iron Crooks and Pot¬ 
 hooks, which they hang upon a Stick, which refts 
 upon two-forked Sticks fixed in the Ground: but 
 thole that have no Commerce, make ufe of the Bran¬ 
 ches of Trees to hang their earthen Pots upon to 
 boil their Vidua Is. ‘ . „ . 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 I 
 
A Voyage into North America. 115 
 
 CHAP. xxvm. 
 
 Of the Manner of their Interring their Dead * Of 
 the Feftival of the Dead, with forne Reflexions 
 on the Immortality of the Soul. 
 
 T He Savages bury their Dead with the greateft 
 Magnificence they can devife, efpecially their 
 Relations, and particularly their Captains or Heads 
 of their Clans or Tribes : They put on their heft At¬ 
 tire, and paint their Face and Body with all forts 
 of Colours. They put them in a fort of Coffin 
 made of the Bark of Trees, and they polifh the out- 
 fide neatly with light Pumice Stones •, and they make 
 a Place where they bury them in the manner of a 
 Maufoleum, which they encompafs round about with 
 Stakes or Palifadoes twelve or thirteen foot high. 
 
 Thefe Maulbleums are commonly eredted in the 
 moft eminent Place of their Savage Borough. They 
 fend every Year folemn Embaffies to their neigh¬ 
 bouring Nations, to folemnize the Feaft of the Dead. 
 All the People of the Northern America fpare no¬ 
 thing to honour their dead Friends and Relations, 
 whom they.-go to lament: They make Preferrts-e- 
 fteemed among them very confiderable, as Girdles 
 dyed with Sea-Purple, and Pipes made with the moft 
 precious Stones that can be found •, and in a word 
 with what they look upon to be the moft cftimable to 
 the Parents of the Defundt. They condudt them to 
 the Maufolcum, muttering a fort of Prayers, accom¬ 
 panied with Tears and Sighs, before the Bones, 
 whofe Memory they honour for their great Exploits 
 in Peace and War. 
 
116 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 Thefe Savages have particular Ceremonies for the 
 Children of their deceas’d .friends: W hen they de- 
 fign to bury thefe little ones, as foon as they are dead 
 they wrap their Bodies in a white pinked Skin in the 
 prefence of their Parents \ it’s painted with many 
 Colours: After they carry it and place it upon a 
 kind of Sledg, and fo carry it to be buried: but 
 inlteadof making Prefents to the Parents of thede- 
 ceafeu Infants, as they do for thofe of riper Years, 
 they themfelves receive them to wipe away their 
 Tears, which they fhed in abundance, in the pre¬ 
 fence of the Parents. 
 
 The Savages have likewifea Cuftom of putting in 
 the Coffin of the deceafed of riper Years, whatever 
 they elteem valuable, tho to the value of two or 
 three hundred Crowns: They put there Shoes of 
 pinked Skins, garnifhed with red and black Porcu¬ 
 pine, a Pair of Tongs, a Hatchet, Necklaces of Pur¬ 
 ple, a Pipe, a Caldron, and a potful of Sagamt f, 
 or Pottage of Indian Corn, with fome fat Meat. It 
 he be a Man, they bury him with a Gun, Powder, and 
 Ball but thofe that have no Fire-Arms, con¬ 
 tent themfelves with putting in their Coffin their 
 Bows and Arrows, that when they are in the Com- 
 try of Souls (as they phrafe it) and of the Dead, 
 they may make ufe of them in Hunting. 
 
 When I was among the IJfati Nadoueffans, there 
 died one of the Savages,- that had been bit with a 
 Rattle-Snake } I came not time enough to give him 
 my infallible Remedy, viz.. Orvietan in Ponder. If 
 this Accident happened to any one in my prefence, 1 
 made them prefently be fcarified upon the place 
 that was bit, and caft fome of the Pouder upon it, 
 afterward I made them fvvallow fome of it, to keep 
 the Pe-ifon from the Heart. Thefe Barbarians 
 frranacly admired me,, that I cured one of their 
 Chieftains, that had been bit by one of thefe Ser- 
 
A Voyage into North America. 117 
 
 pents : They faid to me. Spirit, for fo they call 
 all Europeans, we fought after you, and the other 
 two Spirits your Companions} but vve were fo un¬ 
 fortunate, that we could not find you •, leave us no 
 more, we’ll take care of you for the future : if 
 had been with us, our Chieftain, whom you lee dcfd, 
 would have been in a condition to have been meiry 
 with you : He was excellently well verfcd in the trade 
 of furprizing and killing his Enemies-, he with 
 hunting maintained his ten Wives: He would li 3 ve 
 been in a condition to have been your Benefadfor, if 
 you had been here to favg his Life: Yon could have 
 done it cafily, lince you have cured fo many of our 
 Relations } you would have done him this important 
 piece of Service, and fparedourTears. 
 
 Thefe poor People feeing our Method,but not com¬ 
 prehending it, believe we are capable of doing any 
 thing even of arrefting Death : They often admired 
 the effects’of the Remedies, which f gave to their 
 Sick, with a delign to cure their Spiritual Maladies, 
 in bringing them to the Knowledg of the true Goj, 
 by the Care I took of their Bodies. 
 
 I admired how neatly thefe Savages had laid out 
 the dead Corps they had laid him upon fine Mats, 
 and put him in the pollute of a Warriour, with his 
 Bow and Arrows: They painted his Body with di¬ 
 vers Colours \ one would have thought at firlt he had 
 been alive. They faid I mull give him feme Tobacco 
 of Martineco , of which I had a fmall quantity, that 
 theDefunft might have fomething to fmoak: This 
 gave me anoccafionto tell them, that the dead did 
 neither fmoak nor eat in the Country of Souls , and 
 that they have no more need of Bows and Arrows •, 
 for iq the Country whither thofe Souls go, they go 
 no more a hunting: That if they would learn to 
 know'the great Captain, they would be lomuch fa- 
 tisfied with feeing him, that they would 1 think no 
 • 1 j more 
 
118 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 more of Hunting, neither of eating or drinkingj for 
 the Souls do not need it. 
 
 They made but a grofs Conception of what I faid 
 to them: afterwards 1 made them a Prefent of two Fa¬ 
 thom of our black Tobacco *, they love it paffionately: 
 Theirs is not fo well cured, nor foftrong as that of 
 Martincco , of which l made them a Prefent. I made 
 them underftand, that l gave it them to fmoak, and 
 not to the deceafed, becaufe he had no need of it. 
 Some of thofe Savages prefent gave me an attentive 
 Ear, and were pleafed with my Difcourfe of another 
 Life i others faid in their Language, Tepatoui y which 
 is as much as to fay very well: Afterwards they fat 
 them down, and fell a fmoaking, taking no further 
 notice of my Difcourfe. 
 
 1 obferved that the Tears which they Ihed, and 
 the Ceremonies they pra&ifed, as rubbing the Defund 
 with Bears Fat, and fuch like things, were rather 
 the EfFeftsof Cuftom, derived to them by Tradition, 
 which feems to retain fomething of Judaifin, 
 than of any ftrong Attache they have for them. I 
 do not abfolutely defpair of the future Salvation 
 of thefe Barbarians. 1 believe God will raife up 
 fome proper means to enlighten them with the Light 
 pf the Gofpel; for his Holy Gofpel is to be preached 
 toailt he World before the Day of Judgment. 
 
 ' . • ;’ ■ ?. - 
 3V0'i9(l {*1 VT •/OO j £ Ji MOj I // dTOJ 
 
 bio wotl m Y?ri5 'jsiifici bac mmO-yim cl 
 
 { yiiol ro ovR yrtirfj avocfo Jon troY 
 -a A rub fieri j ojo w woh^ OJbfloiatq.ocy ob hie bfo 
 boy ; ym uoy Jntfw Jon wonji aoy r og f oO Vruxc jiwj 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 ->*%■/. '■ - ;;Ul 
 •a ic.iwlpM Jssrrg srfj 
 
A Vioytge into North America. 
 
 ”9 
 
 CHAP. XXIX. 
 
 Of the Superjiitions of the Savages, and of the 
 rtdiculous things they believe. 
 
 to bs3fl 00 l)f.*) ;3/14 04 30(1 
 
 1 Always obferved that the ftrongeft Arguments 
 that can be brought fof the Converfion of Infidds 
 are of no value till God give a Blefling. How (hall 
 they believe in him whom they have not heard fpeak? 
 fays St. Paul How lhall they underftand, if fome do 
 not preach to them ? And how lhall they preach if 
 they be not fent ? The found of the Apoftles is gone 
 through the World, andtheir Words are heard even 
 to the ends of the World. I ardently beg that the 
 found of the Succefl’ors of the Apoftles may bring to 
 the Paftures of Life that infinite number of Savages 
 which I have feen in my Travels. Great pains have 
 been taken a longtime, but as yet no confiderable 
 progrefs is made, for the generality of them are 
 ftrongiy fixed in their Superftitions. 
 t Thefe Barbarians are one more fuperftitious than 
 another, the Old Men efpecially *, and the Women 
 moft obftinately retain the Traditions of their Ancef- 
 tors. When 1 told them it was a Foolery to believe 
 fo many Dreams and Fancies \ they ask’d me how old 
 I was? You are not above thirty five or forty years 
 old, and do you pretend to know more than our An- 
 tient Men ? Go, go, you know not what you fay \ you 
 •may know what palfes in your own Country, becaufe 
 your Anccftors have told you, but you cannot tell 
 what has pafied in ours, before the Spirits, that’s to 
 fay the Europeans, came hither. 
 
 I reply’d to thefe Barbarians, that we knew all by 
 the Scripture,which the great Matter of Life has given 
 V I 4 ™ 
 
s 20 A Voyage into North America, 
 us by his Son-, that this Son died to'deliver Men from 
 a place where burns an eternal Fire, which would 
 have been their lot, if he had not come into the 
 World to fave us from Sin and from Death \ that all 
 Mankind were Sinners in Adam , the firffc Man of the 
 World. Thefe Savages, who have a large lhare of 
 common Senfe, often ask’d me, Did you Spirits know 
 of our being here before you came hither? I anfwer- 
 edthem. No: You do not learn therefore all things 
 by Scripture •, it tells you not all things,reply’d they. 
 
 It requires a ereat deal of time to fhew them the 
 Falfity of their Superftitions, and much more to per- 
 fwadethem to imbrace the Verities oftheGofpel: 
 There’s none but God can do it by the Unftion of his 
 Grace and Holy Spirit. But for all this the Evange¬ 
 lical Reapers mult not defert the Harveft. A time 
 will come that Men will prefer the Interefts of Jefus 
 Chrift, before their own : then there will be but one 
 Shepherd, and ooo Sheepfold. 
 
 There are many of the Savages that make the Sto¬ 
 ries of their Antients the fubjedt of their Raillery, 
 but others believe them. I have formerly given an 
 account of the Sentiments they have of their Origine, 
 and of the Cure of their Maladies. They have fome 
 Sentiments of the Immortality of the Soul. They fay 
 there is a delicious Country towards the Weft, where 
 there’s good. Hunting, and where they kill as many 
 Eeafts as they pleafe. It’s thither they lay their Souls 
 go. They hope to fee one another there. But they 
 are yet more ridiculous, in believing that the Souls 
 of Caldrons Guns and other Arms, which they place 
 near the Sepulchre of the Dead, go with them to be 
 made ufebf in the Country of Souls. 
 
 A young Savage Maid dying after Baptifm, the 
 Mother feeing one of her Slaves at the point of Death, 
 faid, my Daughter is all alone in the Country of 
 the Dead, among the Europeans, without Relations, 
 
 and 
 
A Voyage into North America. 121 
 
 and without Friends: The Spring is at hand it’stime 
 to fow Indian Corn, and Citruls, or Pompions} 
 baptize my Slave, "fays Ihe, that Ihe may go and ferve 
 my Daughter in the Country of the Europeans. 
 
 A Savage Woman being at the lalt Gaip, cried out 
 that ihe would not be baptized, for the Savages that 
 die Chriftians are burned in the Country of Souls by 
 the Europeans. Some of them told me one day, that 
 we baptized them to make them our Slaves in the o- 
 ther World. Others asked me, if there was good 
 Hurting in the Country, whither their dying newly 
 baptized Infants were going ? When I anfwer’d them, 
 that they lived there without eating and dunking, 
 becaufe they are there fatiated with the Contempla¬ 
 tion of the great Mailer of Life: We will not go 
 thither, fay they, becaufe we mult eat. If we reply 
 that they will have no need of Food, they clap their 
 Hands upon their Mouths in fign of Admiration, and 
 f a y, you are a great Liar '■> Can one live without eat- 
 
 10 A Savage told us one day this Story : One of our 
 old Men, fays he, being dead, and being come to the 
 Country of Souk, he found there firft Europeans that 
 careffed him, and made much of him •, after he came 
 to the place where his Country-men were, who like- 
 wife received him very kindly : There were Feafts 
 there every day, to which the Europeans were often 
 invited-, for there are there neither Quarrels nor 
 War : After this old Man had taken a full view of the 
 Country he returned home, and recounted all his 
 Adventures to thofe of his Nation. We asked the 
 Savage if he believed this Story ? He anfwered. No, 
 that their Anceftors related it, but they might tell a 
 
 ^ Thefe People admit fome fort of Genius in every 
 thing : they all believe one Mailer of Life, but they 
 make divers applications of it. Some have a kan 
 
122 
 
 sty ojage into JVoitli America. 
 
 C !?T\r hich ,, theycarr y alw ays about with them and 
 which they call their Mailer of Life. Others have In 
 Owl, others a Bone, feme the Shell of a Filh, andlch 
 like things. When they hear the Owl hout thev 
 tremble, and take it for an ill Omen. They are’grS 
 believers of Dreams. They go unto their Baths i 
 procure good weather for Hunting. They 
 give the Bones of Bevers or Otters totheiV S 
 I asked them the reafon; they anfwered me, that 
 there was an 0 ^«, or Spirit, in the Wood, vvE 
 would tell the Bevers and Otters, and after that they 
 would catch none. 1 asked them what that SpS 
 was, they anfwered me that it was a Woman that 
 knew every thing, who was the Lady of Hunting 
 
 Fabled SreatCft Part ° f them d0 Q0t thefe 
 
 Whilfl I was in the Million ox Frontenac, a Savage 
 Woman was poifoned in the Wood by accident: 
 The Hunters brought her into her Cabin; I went to 
 
 nfJth dead - 1 heard thcm difcourling 
 
 near the Body of the Dead; they fa id they had feen 
 
 upon the Snow the winding Trafls of a Serpent which 
 
 ^7,n v ° Ut u/t e i r M r Uth ' They related this very fe- 
 noufly. While they were difeourfing thus, an old 
 
 SKtr faid ’ the Spirit tbt 
 
 ? Cr r a ir B °u 0fab ? ut ei S hteen years old, who 
 fn 0-r i im ^ e ^ 3 Girl i ar td this Fancy wrought 
 
 inSl !??’ *J?2 hca 3 ed all things acJd- 
 
 and employed 
 
 hid J h - l 5. rt of work - A Sava §e which we 
 
 his ViH. V m° the Fort ’ and who was the Chief of 
 the^S S d m ! oneda y that Onontio, which is 
 bftfjSS- *7 g, I e t0 the Governour-General 
 
 tmT&iA*?- a V th f t time Wasthe Count of Fron. 
 
 fuch arSi d C ° v e Fuch a da y> when the Sun was in 
 tuch a place: which precifely came to pafs as he had 
 
 faid. 
 
A Viojage into North America. 1 2 5 
 
 faid. This fame old Man, who was called Ganneoufe 
 Kaera, that is to fay, the bearded, was the only Man 
 of all the Savages which 1 faw with a Beard. The 
 People of the Northern America commonly pluck a- 
 way the Beard when it is but Down, and for this rea- 
 fon they have no Beards. I mull confefs 1 knew not 
 what to fay when 1 faw the Count de Frontmac arrive. 
 This Man had heard no News from any body. When 
 I asked him how he came to know it y he laid he had 
 learned it of a Jugler who pretended to foretel 
 things. But I believe th^r Predi&ions are rather 
 the effeft of Hazard, than of any Commerce they 
 have with the Devil. 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 Of the Objiacles that are found in the Converfion 
 of the Savages, 
 
 T Here are many Obltacles that hinder the Conver- 
 fion of the Savages y but in general the difficulty 
 proceeds from the indifferency they have to every 
 thing. VVhen one fpeaks to them 01 the Creation of 
 the World, and of the Mylleries of theChriftian Re¬ 
 ligion y they fay we have Reafon: and they applaud 
 in general all that we fay on the grand Affair of our 
 Salvation. They would think themfelves guilty of a 
 great Incivility, if they Ihould lhew the leaft fufpicion 
 of Incredulity, in refpett of what is propofed. But 
 after having approved all the Difcourfes upon thefe 
 Matters •, they pretend likewife on their fide, that 
 We ought to pay all poffible Deference to the Rela¬ 
 tions and Reafonings that they make on their 
 part. And when we make anfwer. That what 
 they tell us is falfe y they reply, that they haveac- 
 
 quiefced 
 

 124 -A Voyage into North America. 
 
 quiefced to all that we faid, and that it’s want of Judg¬ 
 ment to interrupt a Man that fpeaks, and to'tell him 
 that he advances a falfe Propofition. All that you 
 have taught touching thofe of your Country, is as 
 you fay: But it’s not the fame as to us, who are of a- 
 nother Nation, and inhabit the Lands which are on 
 this fide the great Lake. 
 
 The fecond Obftacle which hinders their Conver- 
 fion, proceeds from their great Superftition, as we 
 have inlinuated before. 
 
 The third Obftacle confifts in this, that they are 
 not fixt to a place. While I was at fort Frontmac , 
 Father Luke Buijfet , and my felf, were employed a 
 great part of the Year to teach many Children our 
 ordinary Prayers,and to read in the Iroquois Language; 
 their Parents affifted at the Service in theChappel: 
 they lift up their Hands to Heaven, and kneeled, 
 beating their Breafts, and behaved themfelves with 
 great refpedt in our Prefence. They feemed to be 
 moved with our Ceremonies; but they did fo to 
 pleafe us, and their only aim feemed to be to get fome 
 Prefents from the Europeans. 
 
 But in cafe they had had fome laudable Defign,they 
 would quickly have renounced it, becaufe they ftay 
 no longer in their Villages than till Harveft be over, 
 which is but a fmall time : All the reft of the Year 
 they pafs in Wars and Hunting. Then they carry 
 their Families with them, and are abfent eight or nine 
 Months: Their Children then, which have begun to 
 learn fomething, forget all, and fall to their former 
 Superftitions and methods of living. Befides, their 
 Juglers, and their old Superfluous Men, minding no¬ 
 thing but their Intereft, endeavour to create in them 
 a hatred towards ms, left they ftiould believe what 
 we teach them. 
 
 The Merchants who deal commonly with the Sa¬ 
 vages, with a defign to gain by their Tea flick, are 
 
 like- 
 
A Voyage into North America. 125 
 
 likewife another Obftdde : St. Auguftine long fince 
 faid ot them, Continua eft in iU'tt meditatio dolt , & triturd 
 menduii •, They think of nothing but cheating and ly*. 
 ing, to become rich in a Ihort time. They ufe all 
 manner ot Stratagems to get the Furs of the Savages 
 cheap. They make ufe of Lies and Cheats to gain 
 double if they can. This without doubt caufes an 
 averiion againft a Religion which they fee accompa¬ 
 nied by the Profeil'ors of it with fo many Artifices 
 
 and hents. _ , , , r 
 
 It mull likewife be confeffed, that there are fome 
 Milhonaries which in part hinder the progrefs It’s 
 hard to learn their Languages, they being fo different 
 one from another, that they are nothing like. There 
 is then required a great deal of time to be able to 
 teach them the Myfteriesof our Religion > and unlefs 
 the Holy Ghoft infpire extraordinarily, little Fruit is 
 to be expe&ed from thefe barbarous People. . . 
 
 Betides, the different methods that are ufed to m- 
 ftrutt them, retard much their Conjerfion. 
 gins by the Animal part, and another by the Spiritu¬ 
 al There are diverfity of Beliefs among the Chrif- 
 tians • every one abounds in his own Senfe, ana be¬ 
 lieves his own Faith the pureft, and his Method the 
 bed. There ought therefore to be an uniformity m 
 Belief and Method, as there is but one Truth, and 
 one Redeemer, otherwife thefe Barbarians will n t 
 
 know whst torefolve. i 
 
 I put a great deal of difference between the zeal 
 
 and indefatigable pains of the Mitlioners, and e 
 pretended Succeffes which are vaunted of in the 
 World They who are abfolutely dil.ngaged from 
 the love of Riches, and who have been in the Million 
 , m .„. rhe people of the Southern America, have with- 
 , iS made a great progrefs in thofe Countries. 
 There are forty or fifty Provinces of our Order where 
 Service is performed- They are 
 
 t 
 
12 6 A Vyage into North America. 
 
 feffion to preach with Authority, after having de. 
 ftroyed Idolatry. 6 
 
 But we muft confefs, that thofe who have labour¬ 
 ed in the Northern America , have not had the fame 
 progrefs. They have made it their application to 
 civilize thofe barbarous People, and make them ca¬ 
 pable of fomething of Policy. They have endeavour, 
 ed to put a ftop to the Current of their Brutal Sal¬ 
 lies, and fo prepare the way of our Lord : hot- 
 withftanding we muft confefs they have made little 
 Progrefs. Thefe barbarous Nations, by I know not 
 what fatality of Intereft, are almoft as Savage, and 
 have as great an yfttuche to their antient Maxims to 
 Gluttony, Pride, Curling and Cruelty, and a thou- 
 land other abominable Vices as ever. 
 
 They are the fame they were forty years ago, and 
 above: And yet many Books are pi.blifned of the 
 great Converfions of the Iroquois and Huron*. We i 
 wet e told for certain, that thefe Barbarians had built 
 as many Churches and Chappels as they had deftroy- 
 
 Enerai ' s of alIthc 800,0 
 
 f • I S\ I J 0t ^5 I ?y here but that tile MiHionaries have 
 faithfully difcharged their Miniftry: But the Seed has 
 fallen upon an ungrateful Soil, either on the High¬ 
 way, or-among the Thorns * fo tl.at they’l remain in¬ 
 exorable at the day of Judgment, having refilled fo 
 clear Convi&ions. 
 
 Be it as it will every day a great many Children 
 are baptized, and fome grown Men on their Death¬ 
 beds if they delirc it, which is a great ftep to 
 Eternity: But as to thofe in Heakh,few are converted, 
 and fewer perfevere. But the Pains, and the entire > 
 S fiC , e ,° f th f V lfe of a Miffionary, would be well 
 Sill? d > and .§ lo /ioufly recompens d, if they had 
 Soul ^ a PP ine ^ s £o convert and fave one only 
 
 The 
 
 & 4 
 
A V oyage into North America. .127 
 
 The principal and mod allured part of a Miflioner 
 conliftsin the Admmiftration of the Sacraments to 
 thofe who go to barter among the Savages. And we 
 may to our Ihame truly fay, that as foon as the Furs 
 and. the Bevers begin to grow fcarce among the Sa¬ 
 vages, the Europeans retire, and not one is to be 
 found. The Savages reproached us with it once in 
 the Prefence of Monfieur the Count de Frontenac , in 
 full Council, at the three Rivers of Canada, faying. 
 While we have Bevers and Furs, he that prayed was 
 with ns*, he inftru&ed our Children, and taught 
 them their 'rayers and Catechifm ; he was infepara- 
 ble from us, and honoured us fometimes at our Feafts: 
 but when our Merchandize failed, thefe Mitfioners 
 thought they could do no further Service among 
 us. 
 
 It’s likewife true, that the greateft part of thofe 
 Millions which were eftablifhed above forty Years ago 
 have failed : Witnefs thofe of the great Bay of St. 
 Lawrence , of Rijligoucb, of Nipifiguit, of Miekou , 
 Cape Breton , Port-royal , of the River FFo//, of the 
 Cape of St. Mary Magdalen , of the three Rivers, 
 and many more which were eftablilhed among the 
 Httrons at the head of this River. Thofe that were 
 Miffionaries in thofe Parts, thought good to quit 
 them, and even Tadoujfae it fclf, to eftablifh thetn- 
 felvesat Chigoutimi. 
 
 If God give me Flealth and Life, in a third Tome 
 I’ll give an account of other Obftacles more confide- 
 rable, which hinder the propagation of theGofpel: 
 
 I’ll only fay in this place, that thofe that would em¬ 
 ploy themfelves to the purpofe in thofe Parts in this 3 
 painful Mimftry, mull tread under foot the Riches 
 of the Worlds and content themfelves with a meaij 
 Subfiltence, according to the Do&rinc of the Apo- 
 ftles. ° iXicH ari 
 
 CHAP. 
 
128 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 ~ t , _ __— 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 Of the barbarous and uncivil Manners of the 
 Savages. 
 
 T H E Savages have fmall regard to the Civilities 
 of Europe: They make a Mockery of the Civi¬ 
 lities we ufe one to another : When they come to a 
 place, they feldom falute thofe that are there : They 
 lit upon their Breech, and have no regard even to 
 thofe that come to vilit them. They enter into the 
 fir ft Cabin they meet with, without fpeaking a word: 
 They take a Seat where they can, and after light 
 their Pipe or Calumet: They fmoak without faying 
 any thing, and even fo go away again. 
 
 When they enter into a Houfe built and furnilhed 
 after the European Mode, they take the chief place: 
 If there be a Chair before the middle of the Fire, 
 they feize upon it, and never rife up for any body, 
 tho he were a Prince or a King. They look upon 
 themfelves as the beft Men of the World. 
 
 In the Northern Parts theMenand Women hide 
 nothing but their Nakednefs } all elfe is expofed to 
 view. The Savages of the South are quite naked, 
 having not the leaft fentiment of Shame: They do 
 the Neceflities of Nature before all the World, 
 without the leaft fcruple, and without regard to any 
 Man. They treat their Elders with great Incivility 
 when they are out of Council. The common Du- 
 courfe both of Men and Women is down-right 
 Bawdy. 
 
 But as to the Commerce which Men have with 
 their Wives, for the moft part it’s in private: But 
 fometimes it’s done with fo little Precaution, that 
 they are often furprized. Befides, the Savages ob- 
 
 ferve 
 
A Voyage into North America. 129 
 
 ferve none of the Rules of that natural Honefty 
 which is ufed among the Europeans of both Sexes. 
 They never pradtife any Cardies or Endearments, 
 which are common among the People of Europe ^ all 
 is done grolly, and with a great deal of Brutality. 
 
 They never walh their Platters made of Wood or 
 Bark, nor their Spoons. When the Savage Women 
 have cleaned their little Infants with their hands, 
 they wipe them very fuperficially upon a piece of 
 Bark, after which they will handle the Meat that 
 they eat. This often turned my Stomach, that I 
 could not eat with them when I was invited to their 
 Cabins. They feldom or never walh their Hands or 
 Face. 
 
 The Children Ihew but fmall Refpedt to their Pa¬ 
 rents : Sometimes they will beat them without being 
 chaftifed for it} for they think Correction would in¬ 
 timidate them, and make them bad Souldiers. They 
 eat fometimes fnuffling and blowing like Beafb. As 
 loon as they enter into a Cabin, they fall a fmoak- 
 ing. If they find a Pot covered, they make no diffi¬ 
 culty, to take off the Lid to fee what’s in it. They 
 eat in the Platter where their Dogs have eaten, 
 without wiping it. When they eat fat Meat, they 
 rub their Hands upon their Face and Hair to clean 
 them : They are perpetually belching. 
 
 Thofe that have trucked Shirts with the Europe¬ 
 ans never walh them ; they commonly let them rot 
 on their backs: They feldom cut their Nails: They 
 feldom walh the Meat they drefs. Their Cabins m 
 the North are commonly filthy. I was furpnzed 
 one day to fee an old Woman bite the Hair of a 
 Child, and eat the Lice. The Women are not 
 alhamed to make water before all the World : but 
 they had rather go a League in the Woods than any¬ 
 body (hould fee them go to ftool. W hen the Chil¬ 
 dren have piffed their Coverlets, they call away their 
 
i^o A Voyage into North America. 
 
 pifs with their hands. One may often fee them eat 
 lying along like Dogs. In a word, they aft every 
 thing brutally. 
 
 For all that, there are many things found among 
 them honeft and civil. When any one enters into 
 their Cabins when they are eating, they commonly 
 prefent him with a plate-full of Meat, and they arc 
 extrcamly pleafed when all is eaten that they give. 
 They had rather faft two days without Vi&Uals, than 
 let you go without heartily prefenting you with 
 part of all they have. If by chance the Portions be 
 diftributed when one comes in, the Wife Who makes 
 the Diftribution orders the matter fo, that fhe gives 
 fhare to the New-comer v 
 
 Some Savages prefented us the fmeft Mats, and the 
 belt place in the Cabin, when we paid them a Vifit. 
 Thofe who frequent the Company of Europeans, fe¬ 
 line us when they meet us. It’s likewife the Cuftom 
 of thefe People to return Prefent for Prefent. 
 
 Altho they Ihew fmall Refpedt to their old Men, 
 yet they have a great Deference for their Counfels. 
 They follow them exactly, and confefs that they have 
 more Experience, and know Affairs better than 
 themfelves. If an antient Man fhould fay to a.young 
 Man, by way of Reproach, before others, Thou haft 
 no Wit , he would prefently go and poifon himfelf, 
 they arc fo fenlible. of Ignominy and Difgrace. In 
 the Affemblies which arc held for debating their Af¬ 
 fairs, the young People dare not fay a word unlcfi 
 they be asked. 
 
 'In their Fcafts they often give to the molt confi- 
 derable of the reft the whole Head of the Beall 
 which they have killed, or the belt portion of what 
 is drefled : They never eat on the fame Plate, unlefs 
 it be in War, for then they obferve no mea- 
 furcs. 'They have a great Deference for the old 
 Men, in that they leave them tl}g whole Govern- 
 
 
i 
 
 A Voyage into North America. _ } t 
 
 ment of Affairs, which is efteeraed honourable among: 
 
 them. 6 
 
 i 
 
 a 
 
 made an Harangue before Monfieur the Gount*of 
 Frontenac \ and every time he began a new Difcourfe 
 he took off his Cap, and made a Speech like an Ora¬ 
 tor. Another Captain of the Hojogoim feeing his 
 little Daughter which he had given to the Count de 
 Frontenac to be inftru&ed, faid very civilly to him 
 Omontio , (for fo they call the Governour of Canada 
 which word fignifies a beautiful Mountain) thou art 
 the Mailer of this Girl \ order the bnfinefs lo that 
 lhe may learn to write and read well and when 
 lhe grows great, either fend her home, or take her 
 for a Wife. Which. Ihows you, that the Iroquois 
 look upon themlelves as much as the greatell Perfons 
 in the World. . • 
 
 I knew another Iroques who was called Atrcovati^ 
 which fignifies great Throat: this Man eat as the Eu¬ 
 ropeans do j he walhed his Hands in a Baton with tire 
 Governour - 7 he fat lafl down at the Table, and open¬ 
 ed his Napkin handfomly, and eat with his Fork; 
 and did all things after our mode: But often he did it 
 put of Craft or Imitation, to get fome Prefent from 
 the Governour . The Count de Frontenac was very 
 complaifant with thefe Savages; becaufe he knew 
 that {he.Iroquois were the Enemies ; moft to be 
 dreaded by the French, of all the People in the North 
 America- ^ yeqr raeei lisrtjm 
 
 There are few that falute after the mode of Europe ,; 
 knew a Savage who was called Gararmie , which is 
 > much as to fay, the Sun that moves: henne^ 
 
 
 svam vori < , ib » 
 
 K 10 * f^CHAP. 
 
 v •-£ 
 
 t.A 
 
n* 
 
 A Voyage into North America. } 
 
 G 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 Of the great Jndferency of the Humours of 
 J 6 the Savages. 
 
 End-ally fpeaking, all the Savages of the Nati- 
 v I onsl have feen in the Northern America, have 
 an exrream Indifference for all things: I hey have 
 no particular Attache to anything, andfet: no great 
 value upon the raoft precious thing tky have s Thej 
 look upon every thing as very much below them, 
 and if they had a thoufand Crowns, or any thmg of 
 equal value, they would part with it without trou- 
 ble, and give it all to have what they defire. But of 
 all the Northern Nations there is none fo indifferent 
 as the Iroquois : they look upon themfelves as Mailers 
 of other People, and have often dared to declare 
 War againft the French in Canada , and would have 
 conquered it if .they had known their Forces. 
 
 Notwithftanding, their Indifference for all things 
 either of Peace or War, often induced them to make 
 a counterfeit Peace with thofe of Canada. Befides, 
 they are perfwaded, that unlefs one fend great Ke- 
 inforcements thither, they can abfolutely deftroy 
 'them when they pleafe, and ruin the Commerce 
 Let the Efforts be never fo great againft them, the/ 
 •can never extirpate them j and it will never FJ 
 ' Charges which will be neceffary to do it: There s 
 nothing but blows to be got *, and it will be a difficult 
 i thing to defend ones feif from their Treacheries. 
 One can get but fmall Booties among therm 
 
 Their Indifference is fuch, that there is nothing 
 like it under the copes of Heaven: They have a grea 
 Gomplaifance for all that is faid to them, and in ap- 
 4 . pearance 
 
r A Voyage into North America. i ? ? 
 
 pearance do all ferioufly you entreat them to do. 
 When we fay to them. Pray to God with us, they 
 prefently doit, andanfwer word for word, accord¬ 
 ing to the Prayers they have been taught in their 
 Tongue. Kneel down, they kneel ; take off your 
 Bonnet, they take it off ; hold your tongue, they do 
 it. If one fey to them. Hear me, they hearken dili¬ 
 gently. If one give them fomc Image, Crucifix, or 
 Beads, they ufe them as Jewels to adorn themfelves 
 with. When I faidtothem, To morrow is Sunday^ 
 or Prayer-day, they anfwered me, Niiora , that’s 
 well, I am content. I faid to them fometimes, Pro- 
 mife the great Matter of Life never to be drunk any 
 more; they anfwered, Netbo^ I promife you I’ll com¬ 
 mit no more fuch Folly: but as foon as they got s4qua- 
 vitie, or other ftrong Liquors, which they trucked 
 with the French, Englifb, and Hollanders, for their 
 Furs, they began afrelh to be drunk. 
 
 When I asked them if they believed in the Great 
 Matter of Life, of Heaven and Earth; they anfwer¬ 
 ed, Yes. Notwithftanding, the Savage Women which 
 fome Miflioners had baptized, and who were married 
 in the face of the Church with fome French Men of 
 Canada often left their Husbands, and took others, 
 faying, they were not fubjeft to the Laws of the 
 Chriftians, and that they did not marry but with a 
 'defign to ftay with their Husbands as long as they 
 agreed together: but if they did not agree well, they 
 were at liberty to change. 
 
 It’s neceffaryto civilize this Nation before they be 
 made to embrace the Chriftian Faith. It they be not 
 under the Yoak, it’s in vain to labour their Conver- 
 fion unlefs God by a particular Grace fhould do fome 
 Miracle in favour of this People. This is all 1 can 
 fay upon this Subjeft, founded upon the Experience I 
 as well as many other Recolcts have had of them. 
 
 KJ 
 
 chap; 
 
x 34 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 — 
 
 e 
 
 t 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 Of the Beauty ant Fertility of the Country of the 
 l Savages.: That powerful Colonies may eafly 5 
 be planted on the North and the South. • i 
 
 B Efcre I enter into the Particulars of thefe charm* 
 
 ing Countries which are in the North and the » 
 South of the Northern America , I’ll fpeak two 
 words of the Countries of the North, to the end 
 one may fee that it’s eafy to dtablilh there powerful I 
 Colonies. j , & 
 
 ; We mnft confefs that there are vaft Forefbtob? 
 rid up, which reach from Canada to the Country of 
 Louisiana , all along the River of Mefcbafipi, fo that 
 it would require a great deal of time to clear the 
 Ground. But this is incident to all new Eftablifh- 
 jnents. • 
 
 Confiderable Advantages were formerly made, 
 and are fo ftill, from the Fifhery, of which they 
 dried one part, becaufe they fold them in the hot 
 Countries in which Traffick were imployedia the 
 paft AgeU thoufand or twelve hundred Veflels. The 
 great Bank , of Newfoundland, the adjacent Banks, 
 the neighbouring Ifles, Cape Breton , the broken Ifland, 
 and Acadia, have the molt Fifh in the World. I do 
 not fpeak here of the Fifhery of the North, whiqh 
 France pretends a Right to, under the Title of the 
 ftrfl PoffeiTors. U Thefe Fiflieries would bo inexhaufH- 
 ble Mine* for the Kingdom, which could not be taken 
 fjom it, if they were fupported by good Colonies. 
 
 A great many Veflels' might go every Year to fifli for 
 the Porpofe, the Whale, and the Sea-wolf, which 
 y/onld.’ ft^nifh .us with an infinite quantity of Oil for 
 * * •• -' . oar i 
 
A Voyage wtfoNorth America. 13 3 
 
 our Domeftick Manufactures, of which a part might 
 be tranfported into Foreign Countries. b 
 
 It’s granted that the Traffick of Filhing which is 
 upon tbefe Coafts of Canada , gave birth to the firft 
 Eftablilhments which were made in thofe Parts of 
 America. There has not been time enough, nor 
 Means to fearch the Country for Mines j without 
 doubt there are Mines of Tin, Lead, Copper and 
 Iron in many places, which are left for the Difcove- 
 ry of future Ages. The Country, by reafon of the 
 vaft Forefts, will furnilh all forts of Wood neceflary 
 to compleat the Mines. In many places is found a 
 fort of baftard Marble, and great Bands of Coal fit 
 for the Forges; there isalfo a fort of Plainer which 
 much refembles Alabafter. 
 
 • The further one advances into the Country, the 
 inorebeautiful Forefts are found,full of gummy Trees* 
 fit to make Pitch for Ships, as alfo infinite ftore of 
 Trees fit for Mafts, of Pines, Firs, Cedars, Maples, 
 fit for all forts of Work, efpecially for the building 
 of Ships: Great Men of War might be built there. 
 Mariners might always find iraploy enough, and get 
 fufficient to maintain their Families •, they would be¬ 
 come abler Sea-men by this Navigation and Com¬ 
 merce of the Weft, than of the Levant^ and their 
 Experience would be greater. 
 
 At the firft beginning of the Eftabliftment.of the 
 Colony in Canada, the Community gain’d every Year 
 a hundred thouland Crowns, befides the Gains ot 
 private Perlons. In the Year 1687. this Sum was 
 tripled and above, by the Furs which were font to 
 France ; And tho the Merchants are forc’d to.ad vance 
 further into the Country than at firft, it s notwith- 
 ftanding an inexhauftiblc Commerce, as we have ob- 
 ferved, by the great pifeoveries wc have made. , 
 
 It mult be granted, that, there are no Nations m 
 Europe that bavefuch an Inclination fpr Colonies as 
 
 K 4 thc 
 
— y 
 
 * A into North America. 
 
 the Ensltfh and the Hollanders: The Genius of thofe 
 Peoplewill notpermitthem to be idle at home. 
 the vaft Countries of America which I have defenbed, 
 may be made the Soul of their Commerce, Private 
 Peiibns who (hall undertake it, without mterefling 
 their own Country, may bring it to a happy iflue: 
 Thev may eafily contrad Alliances with the Savages, 
 and civilize them. The Colonies which they (hall 
 eftabliHi there will quickly be well peopled, and they 
 may toi tify themfelves there at a very (mall Expence: 
 They may content themfelves at firft with a- mode¬ 
 rate Gain, but in a Ihort time it will be extreamly 
 
 considerable. j , _ , 
 
 i here arc in ILYiglflYid and Holldytd 3 . ££rcst many 
 forts of Merchandizes and Manufactures of all forts, 
 which cannot be consumed upon the place, but in 
 time here might be had a prodigious utterance of 
 them. And from hence one may better learn to un- 
 derftand, than hitherto we have done, the admirable 
 Providence of God, whole Will and Pleafure it was 
 that every Country in the World (hould not be e- 
 qually furnilhed with all things, to the end Society 
 and Commerce between different Nations might be 
 eftablifhed, and the glad Tidings of the GOfpel be 
 divulged to the ends of the World. 
 
 It is fomething great and glorious to. gain Bat¬ 
 tles, and fubdue rebellious Subjects; but it’s infi¬ 
 nitely more glorious to gain Souls to Chrift: And I 
 muft needs fay, that the principal aim I propofe 
 in publifliing this great Difcovery, is to animate 
 Chriftians to extend the Dominions of our Saviour, 
 and to aggrandize his Empire. 
 
 It’s certain, to return to our Difcourfe of Trade 
 and Commerce, that the Trade"of Furs ip the North 
 is of infinite Profit and Advantage. There are to 
 be had Skins of Elks or Orignaux , as they are called 
 in Canada, of Bears, Bevers, of the white Wolf or 
 
 Lynx, 
 
A Voyage into North America. 137 
 
 Lynx, of black Foxes, which are wonderfully beau¬ 
 tiful, which were fometimes valued at five or fix 
 hundred Franks *, of common Foxes, Otters, Martens, 
 wild Cats, wild Goats, Harts, Porcupines-, of Tur¬ 
 tles which are of an extraordinary bignefs, Buftards, 
 and ’an infinity of other Animals, wbofe Names I 
 
 There may be catch’d, as I faid before, Sturgeons, 
 Salmons, Piques, Carps, large Breams, Eels, Sword- 
 fifit, Gilt-heads, Barbels of an extraordinary bignefs, 
 and other forts of Fifh without number. There is 
 infinite Gain for the Fowlers; There is an infinity of 
 Sea-Larks, which are a lump of Fat: There are Par¬ 
 tridges, Ducks of all forts, Huars, a kind of Dot¬ 
 trel which imitates Mens Voices, which nave an 
 admirable diverfity of beautiful Colours, Turtles, 
 Ring-doves, Cranes, Herons, Swans, Buftards, which 
 have a relilh of all forts of Meat when you eat them, 
 and a great abundance of all fuch like Game. 
 
 The great River of St. Laurence, which I have 
 
 often mentioned, runs through the I "‘?f le . 
 Country of the Iroques, and makes a great Laketh r 
 which they call Ontario, wt. the beautiful Lake, its 
 near 100 Leagues long, and a vaft number of Towns 
 might be built upon it. Thefe places haying Corre- 
 fpo g ndence with judiciousPerfonswill^ 
 
 fily fee of what vaft Profit the Trade wiU be , and 
 here it’s tobeobferved, that the of rtas Ra¬ 
 
 ver is nearer New York than Quebec, the Capital City 
 
 ^ThelSVer of St .Laurence on the South has a 
 B Jnch which comes from a N*i°" "l»J » 
 
 JV*. or the MM » 
 
 gonqutns, wheret F Ration of Wolves near 
 Towards the Eaft dwells. tno w. of the famc Ri _ 
 
 JVew Holland or York • O * . where arc ma- 
 
 Ver is lituated Hero England or B ft * N ^ 
 
ij 8 A Voyage into North America.' 
 
 ny trading Ships: On the South-weft is Virginia' 
 which together with New Holland was formerly called 
 New Sweedland: On the Eaft is the Country of the 
 Huron!, fo called, becaufe they born their Hair, and 
 leave but a little Tuft upon their Head, which 
 ftares like a wild Boar’s Briftles. This Nation has 
 been almoft deftroy’d jby the Iroques, who have in¬ 
 corporated the Remainder among themfelves. I 
 have added many other Countries towards the North 
 of the River of St. Laurence in the general and parti¬ 
 cular Map, which I have publilhed in the firft Volniac 
 of our Difcovery. 
 
 The great Bay called Hudfon’ s, is on the North of 
 this River *, it was difcovered by the Sieur Defgrofeliers 
 Roebedmutrt, with whom I was often in a Canoo dn- 
 ring my ftay in Canada. The Engli/h have given him 
 a Penlion •, and Mr. Blathwait, firft Secretary of War 
 to William the Third King of England, told me the 
 laftYear, that Sieur Defgrofeliers was then living in 
 England. 
 
 This Hudfon’s-Bay is fituated on the North of Net 
 France, and of the River of St. Laurence.\ it has above 
 four hundred Leagues Extent, and by Land it is not 
 far from Quebec, as it may be obferved in my Charts: 
 Notwithftanding we count it eight hundredLeagues 
 from Quebec by the River to the Sea. And the Navi¬ 
 gation it fclf has fomething of difficulty, becaufe of 
 the continual Fogs. 
 
 While I was at Quebec, the Cauadhts told me that 
 Sieur Defgrofeliers allured them he had great trou¬ 
 ble to get thither by reafon of the Ice, which was 
 feven or eight foot thick, which was driven from 
 the Northward with whole Trees, and the Earth 
 it felf together. Birds were feen which had there 
 built their Nells, fo that they looked like fa many 
 -tittle Ifiands. I do not affirm that it’s altogether 
 tuft as 1 lay: But tilc fifid Sieur Defgrofeliers and others 
 
 have 
 
A Vojagt into North America. 139 
 
 have allured me, that they have pafled through Ice 
 for two Leagues together, and that it’s prodigioufly 
 thick, one piece upon another, driven by the Winds 
 higher than the Towers of great Cities. So that we 
 are not to admire what Sea-men tell us, that upon 
 ihofe great Banks of Ice they have placed their For¬ 
 ges, and made Anchors. 
 
 The Englifh have in HudfotC s-Bay the Forts of Nel- 
 fon and is/eufavane. The Court of France ordered 
 heretofore the Traders in Canada to drtve the Englijh 
 hence ■, but they had notice of it, and prevented 
 the Canadins , by fending four great Ships to their 
 
 afliftance. c 
 
 In the Countries to the North of the River of 
 Laurence are found Mines of Iron and Steel, which 
 would yield 40 or 5° f er Cent. There are Lead- 
 Mines which would yield about 30 per Cent, and Cop¬ 
 per which would yield 18: And according to all ap¬ 
 pearance there might be found Mines of Silver and 
 Gold. Miners were fent thither while I was there: 
 but the French are toO quick in their Enterprizes •, 
 they would be rich too foon, and threw them up, be¬ 
 cause they did not prefently find what they fought 
 
 ^Aieflieurt Genins , the Father and the Son, who 
 were fent thither to fee the Work go on, then told 
 me That Cnee the Company did not perform their 
 Contract they had taken a Refolution to return home 
 
 SSSSSS .hey ted wittoot doubt 
 
 gai i n \ th S r Trtn Countries upon the River of 
 In fhort, all the Coumr £ d Secds . 
 
 all 
 
 Inrrc bf Wood fit for building of Ships, and the pro- 
 
 2g£ «£* <»f pittb ,aibon A^ 
 
j 4© A Voyage into North America.' 
 
 Above all this, the Firs of which we have fpoke, 
 and Atoes fit to make Potatoes of, which may yield 
 more than a hundred and fifty thoufand Livers a Year, 
 and which alone are fu to dent to fubiifl a great num- 
 ber of poor People j all thefe things, 1 fay, are ca¬ 
 pable of producing a confiderable Profit for the 
 lubfiftence of the Colonies which may be eltablilhcd ; 
 there. 
 
 That which is molt remarkable is, that thofe who 
 are Mailers of thofe Countries may keep in awe a- 
 bove a thoufand Velfels which go every Year to filh, 
 and who bring back Whale-Oil, and a great quantity £ 
 of Salmon, and Poor-Jack, enough to furnito whole 
 Kingdoms. All thofe Ships mult of neceffity come 
 to the pierced Ifland , where our Recolets have a little 
 Miffion-Houfe near the Fitoers Huts, becaufe there is 
 no other convenience in thofe Countries. There is no 
 Fortrefs at the entrance of the River, at lealt I faw 
 none. An Eftablitoment in this place without doubt 
 would gain the T rade, and make it very advantagi- 
 ous in cafe a good Colony were fettled there, which 
 were very eafy. 
 
 Ia the Defcription which we have publilhed of 
 Lmifian* y and the Countries of the South, which 
 may truly be called the Paradife of America , we have 
 made mention of all the Animals, of which we have 
 fpoke here above; but befides them, there are a great 
 quantity of Bulls and wild Cows, which have a frilled 
 Wool; they may be tamed and made fit for labour: 
 befides they would ferve for Food, and might be 
 (horn every Year like Sheep, and as good Cloth 
 made of them as any in Europe. The Savages that 
 dwell in thole Countries were never able to dellroy 
 thefe Bealls, becaufe they change their Country ac¬ 
 cording to the feafons. 
 
 There are many Medicinal Herhs which are not 
 ia. Europe, whofe Effefts are infallible, according to 
 . the 
 
A Voyage into North America. 
 
 141 
 
 the Experience of the Savages; They cure with 
 them afi forts of Wounds, the Tertian and Quartan 
 Agues i fome of them purge well, and allay the 
 Pains in the Reins, and fuch like Maladies. There 
 are likewife great quantities of Poilons, as the Rind 
 of the wild Gourd, and others which they make ufe 
 of to deftroy their Enemies. Serpents are common 
 in fome Parts, particularly Adders, Afpicks, and 
 Rattle-fnakes *, they are of a prodigious length and 
 btencfs. and bite dangeroully poor Paflengers: But 
 thev hive Sovereign Remedies againft their biting. 
 There are in thefe CountriesTrogs of a ftupendous 
 bignefs, their croaking is as loud as the lowing of 
 
 C °There are here all forts of European Trees, and 
 many of different fpecies from ours, as I have already 
 Sennoned: Thofe are, for Example, the Cotton 
 ?ree and many others. Thefe Trees take deep 
 rooting and become very tall, which Ihews the good- 
 nefsof the Soil. But the greateft advantage that 
 S be drawn from our Difcovery between the fro- 
 •7en Sea and Nero Mexico confifo in this, as I have 
 &d tta b, the means of thefe rountr.es ofthe 
 <;outh a PafTage maybe found to Cbtna and Japan, 
 without being obliged to pafs the Equiaofbal Une. 
 
A Voyage into North Ailttrica.' 
 
 142 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 Of the Methods of the Savages in their Councils, 
 Their crafty Policies againf their Enemies, ml 
 their Cruelty againft the Europeans', and how a 
 flop may he put to them. 
 
 I T often happens that the Savages exerdfe great 
 Cruelties againft: the Europeans, when they pre¬ 
 tend to have been infulted. Thefe Barbarians make ' 
 Proclamation of War by three or four old Men in 
 all their Villages: They do it with fo loud. a Voice, 
 and fo dreadful a Tone, that all that are in their Ca¬ 
 bins, as well Men as Women, tremble for fear. 
 
 Prefently all the antient Men, and all thole who 
 are to lhare in their Counfels, meet at one of their 
 great Cabins,where the Chief of their Nation dwells.: 
 There one of their Chiefs fpeaks to them always ip 
 this manner; My Brethren, and my Nephews, on? 
 of fuch a Nation has killed one of our People. For 
 tho they have but a fmall occalion of Difcontent, 
 they always give out they are killed: We mult therj, 
 fays the Chief, make War upon them, extirpate 
 them, and revenge the Evil they have done. If all 
 thofe that aflifl at the Council anfwer one after ano¬ 
 ther, Netho, or Togenske ; and if they fmoak in the 
 Calumet , or Pipe of War, whilft a little Savage takes 
 care from time to time to ram it with Tobacco-; 
 this is taken for an unanimous Confent of the Nation, 
 and their Allies. Then one may fee from time to 
 time Troops of Souldiers marching to furprife theft 
 Enemies, tho they be often .very innocent, and’tis 
 wholly upon the falfe fuggejftion of fome ill-minded 
 
 Smif. 
 
 
A Foy age into North America. 14 j 
 
 One day the Ircques pretending an Injury done 
 by a French-man o t C ana da ; they would not attack 
 the whole Nation, but contented themfelves to 
 difcharge their Fury upon two of them, whom they 
 killed, with Hatchets-, after they tied their Bodies to 
 great Stones, and caft them into the River to con¬ 
 ceal this black A&ionj and there had never been 
 any thing known of it, if after feme time the Ropes 
 had not broke, and the River brought their Bodies 
 to the Bank. 
 
 The Savages perceiving that they were fufpefted, 
 becaufe they were forbidden to come near the Fort and 
 the Houfes of the Inhabitants, began to fear left the 
 Canadim Ihould revenge this barbarous A&ion: To 
 prevent the Effects of it, they went up to the three 
 Rivers, and held a Council of about eight hundred 
 Men: The Refult of their Aflembly was, that they 
 Ihould endeavour to furprize and cut the Throats of 
 all the People in Quebec, the Capital City of Canada , 
 at that time but poorly inhabited. 
 
 It’s hard to keep Secrecy in a Council of fo many 
 Men at once, who without doubt were not all of 
 one fentiment: Providence therefore, that watched 
 for the Confervation of this little growing Colony, 
 permitted that one of the Savages, called Foriere , 
 whom fome of our Order of St. Francis had in¬ 
 truded at the three Rivers two years together, who 
 had a great kindnefs for them, gave Advice to one 
 of our Friars, called Friar Pacificus, who prefently 
 gave notice to the Government. This obliged them 
 to intrench themfelves in a little wooden Fort, for¬ 
 tified with Stakes, and ill-ordered Pahfadoes. This 
 Savage was highly rewarded, and more was pro- 
 mifedhim, to oblige him not only to .difeover then 
 further Defigus,- but- alfo- to -endeavour to divert 
 them from their Enter prize againf: the Cana/jins. 
 
 This Savage acquitted' hirafelf very well-ot his 
 
144 ^ Voyage into North America. 
 
 Commiflion : He manag’d this Affair fo happily, that 
 he not only made them to quit their former Defign, 
 but fully perfwaded them to reconcile themfelves 
 with the French, and to obtain Provifions, of which 
 they ftood much in need at that time. The Savages 
 fent to this end forty Canoos with Women to fetch 
 in Provifions. The Canadim furnilhed them with as 
 much as the time would permit. A 
 
 The French received with a great deal of Joy 
 
 jib 
 
 01 
 
 the Propofitions of Peace, which were made them in 
 
 full Council by the Savage Fortere on the part of the 
 Iroques , whom he had appeafed. They were told 
 that the Chiefs and Captains of the Nation fhould 
 give up the Murderers to the Canadim to difpofe of 
 them as they thought good : To this effed their An- 
 tients fhould have Orders to come to Quebec to treat 
 on this Affair. 
 
 The Proportion which Foriere made to the Savages 
 on this Subjed, at firft frighted them; but after¬ 
 wards refleding upon the Weaknefs, and the fweet 
 Temper of the French in Canada , and relying upon 
 the Credit of Father Jofeph Caron a Recolet, whom 
 they efteemed their Friend, they perfwaded one of 
 the two who was the lefs guilty, to go down with 
 them to Quebec. In the mean time the Iroques or¬ 
 dered theirlittle Army to make a halt half a League 
 from the French Fort, to exped the Succefs of the 
 Negotiation. I 
 
 The Iroques prefented their Criminals to the 
 Canadim , with a quantity of Bever Robes, which 
 they gave to wipe away their Tears, according to 
 their Cuftom. In effed they made up the Bufmefs by 
 their Prefents: It’s thus they commonly appeafe 
 
 
 ISO 
 
 fos 
 
 Dili 
 
 the Anger of thofe they have provoked, and en¬ 
 gage their Allies, make Peace, deliver Prifoners, 
 and as I may fay, raife the Dead : In fhort, there’s 
 neither Propofal nor Anfwer, but by Prefents, 
 
 which 
 
 rk 
 
 if* 
 
A Voyage into North America. 145 
 
 which ferve inftead of Words in their Harangues. 
 
 The Prefents which the Savages make for a Man 
 who has been murdered,are many *, but commonly it’s 
 not he that committed the Murder that offers them•, 
 but the Cuftom is that it be done by his Parents, 
 Townfhip, or fometimes by the whole Nation, ac¬ 
 cording to the Quality of him who was killed. If the 
 Murderer be met with by the Parents of the Defunft, 
 before he has made fatisfadion, he’s put to Death 
 immediately. According to this Cuftom, before 
 Foriere , the Antients and Captains of the Savages 
 began to fpeak, who made a Prefent of twelve Elk 
 
 Skins to fweeten the Canadins. 
 
 After they had treated, they made a fecond Pre¬ 
 fent, and laid it at the Feet of the Canadnu, faying. 
 It was to cleanfe the bloody Part of the Place where 
 the Murder was committed, protefting they had no 
 knowledg of this Affair tiU it was done; and that 
 all the Chiefs of the Nation had c0 J^ m ? ed A th ^ A Jf 
 tempt The third was to ft r eng the p the Aims r 
 K who had found the Bodies ontheBttkrftfi. 
 
 River, and who had carried them into aieW Md . 
 
 > ^“reX'l ivholverc 
 
 T |,e fifth to ^/H^wSe anih.iol*;e 
 might have. The lixtn w- ,w' for thcft.fr re 
 Peace with the French *, , ad % c f 0 f dr that th< f 
 they would tall away their Hatchet., fo ^ * [q 
 
 fhould never be toun > D » r fed peace with the Ei - 
 that their Nation being Pi . a Arms, only 
 yopeans, they would have *. evidence the De- 
 for Hunting. .The fevenj 'Kna&ns would have their; 
 fire they had that tne Cm&m vo Ears 
 
i4 6 A Voyage into North America, 
 
 Ears piercedwhich is to fay in their Language, 
 that they would be open to the Svveetnefs of Peace* 
 to pardon the two Murderers the Fault they had com¬ 
 mitted. 
 
 They offered a Quantity of Chains of Sea-Purple- 
 Shells, to light a Fire of Counfel (as they phrafedit) 
 at the three Rivers, where the Iroques then were, 
 and another at Quebec.' They added another Prefent 
 of two thousand Grains of black and blue Purple, 
 to ferve in Wood and Fewel for thefc two Fires. * 
 
 Here the Reader is to obfcrve, that the Savages 
 feldorn have any AlTemblies, but they have their 
 Pipe in their Mouth •, Fire being neceflary to light 
 their Pipes, they always have it ready in their Con- 
 fults: fo that it’s the fame thing among them to light 
 a Fire of Counfel, as to afTemble to confult. The 
 eighth Prefent was to defire a Union of their Nation 
 with the Canadins j and then they offered a great 
 Chain of Sea Purple, with ten Robes of Bever and 
 Elk, to confirm all they had faid. 
 
 Whatfoever purpofe was made at Quebec tojtanHh 
 the Murderers, to prevent the like Mifchiefs for the 
 future, they were obliged to deflffc from it, and par¬ 
 don the Murderers \ becaufe they were not in a con¬ 
 dition to refill fucha powerful Enemy: lo all was 
 concluded, and two Hoftages were demanded of the 
 Savages for the performance of their Promifes. 
 They put into Father Jofepb 's Hands tw<5 young Iroques 
 Boys, called Nigamcn and Tebacbi , to be inftrudted. 
 In conclufion, the guilty Perfons were fent back not¬ 
 withstanding, upon condition that at the arrival of 
 the Ships whitipwere expected from Europe, this Af¬ 
 fair Ihould have its final pec'ifion, 
 
 I remember when I Was in Canada, I heard the 
 French often murmur that this Affair was managed 
 thus, and that the Murderers Ihould,avoid the Stroke 
 of Jultice. Alter this the Iroques committed a great 
 
 many 
 
A Voyage into North America. 147 
 
 many fuch like Enormities, faying they ftiould be 
 quit for a few Skins of wildBeafts, inftead of thofe 
 of the Canadiris , whom they would flea off alive - 7 
 and that thofe of their Nation would not futfer 
 fuch like Adtions without a futable Revenge, tho 
 the whole Nation of the Iroques fhould perifh to a 
 
 Man. m 
 
 In effe£t thefe Barbarians grew every day more in- 
 lolent upon it, and defpifed che Canddins, as People 
 of no Courage fo that whatfoever l ace they put 
 upon the Matter in their Treaty, it was only done 
 out of Policy to advantage themfelvcs by their Com¬ 
 merce of Furs for the Mcrchandifes of Europe. 
 
 We fee at this day, that the War which the Iroques 
 have at prefent with the French in Canada, furnilhes 
 us with continual Examples of their Cruelty. The 
 Europeans ought to take away their Fire-Arms, to 
 reduce them, and to make them refide in one 
 Place, and to live after the mode of Europe : This 
 would be the means to convert them to Chriftianity. 
 The Spaniards took this Method with the.Mexicans, 
 who dare not carry Fire- Arms,it being punilhed with 
 Death-, ncverthelefs they are not the wovfe ufcd, 
 and the Mexicans are as good Catholick; as any in 
 the World, and carry the eafieft Yoak of any Sub¬ 
 jects in the Univerfe. , . _ . 
 
 Our firft Recollets in the fir ft Colony of Canada, 
 faw a neceflity of overthrowing the Council ot 
 the Iroques , which are the molt redouoted Enemies 
 of the Europeans: They obferved that all the Peaces 
 which thefe Savages made, were only Feints to cover 
 the Breaches of former Treaties. Our Fathers olten 
 reprefented this to the Court of France, that to con¬ 
 vert thefe Barbarians, and to hinder them from ta¬ 
 king Meafures prejudicial to the Colony of Canada, 
 it was neceflary to found a Seminary of fifty or fixty 
 young Iroques for feven or eight years only 
 
148 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 which they might be maintained of the Revenue of the 
 Ground, which might be cultivated during that time. 
 That thofe Children offered themfelves every day 
 to our Religious by confentof their Parents, to be 
 inftrufted and brought up in the Chriitian Religion. 
 That the Iroques and other Savages, feeing their 
 Children educated in this manner, would form 
 no more Enterprises againft the Colony, as long as 
 their Children were in the Seminary, as Guarantees 
 of the Fidelity of their Parents. 
 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 Of the groper Methods to eflablijh good Colonies. 
 The Thoughts and Opinions of the Savages touejs - 
 inz Heaven and Earth. 
 
 T He Religious of our Order of St. Francis can pof- 
 fefs nothing in Property,neither can they accord- 
 ing to their Inftitute, buy or poflefs any Revenues. 
 There is no Order fo fit as ours tofupport the Colo¬ 
 nies that are eftablifhcd by the Catholicks in Ame¬ 
 rica •• The Truth.of what 1 fay is feen by thofe which 
 the Emperor Charles the fifth fent into new Mexico ; 
 where are to be feen this day art Infinity'of great 
 Families, that have made great Advantages of the 
 Diiintereftednefs of our Religious-, the bell Lands 
 have not been fwallowedup, as we fee in Canada, 
 where we fee the richeft and molt fertile Places in the 
 hands of fome Communities, who have laid hold of 
 them during, the abfence of the Recoileds •, who not- 
 witidlanding are the firft Mifiioners of Canada, ha¬ 
 ving near fourfeove Years ago attempted the planting 
 of the Gofpel there. 
 
 The People of' New Trance having earneftly defi- 
 red our Return, after a long force’d abfence, we 
 
 , found 
 
I 
 
 r 
 
 A Voyage into North America.' 149 
 
 found that the belt Lands of our Eftablilhment of th£ 
 Convent of our Lady of Angels, were feized upon \ 
 where I have often renewed and marked the Bounds 
 which remained, to prevent the Deligns of thofe who 
 would feize upon the Remainder : But my Delign is 
 not to tax or offend any body ^:ho I publifh thofe 
 things that may difpleafe fome, i (hall fpeak nothing 
 but Truth. 
 
 I fhall not fpeak here of the great Advantages 
 which have accrued to the four Parts of the World 
 by the Miflions of our Recollets, it would require 
 large Volumes •, I fhall onjy relate here the Labours 
 of our Religious in this Age, and the great Difcove- 
 ries made by us in America. When the French Co¬ 
 lony of Canada was eftablilhed, our Recollets asked 
 nothing of the Government, but a dozen Men fit 
 for Husbandry-Affairs j which were to be command¬ 
 ed by a fecular Matter of a Family, for the Subiiftence 
 of fifty or fixty young Savage Children, whilft our 
 Religious extended themfelves on all (ides in the Mif- 
 fion to draw others to Chriftianity. Thefc Religious 
 expofe their Lives, and fubjeft themfelves to all forts 
 of Trouble and Fatigue, in order to plant theGoi- 
 pel all over the World. ... _ 
 
 Our Religious long ago advifed that Chrifhan ac- 
 ligion, and the Authority of Juft ice, mould be fup- 
 ported by a good Garifon, elfablifhed in fotru 
 venient Place in the NoYthcvYi ^AyntYtcUj which might 
 kfcep in fubjedion more than eight hundred Leagues 
 of Country all along the River of St Lawrence: 
 There' is no way to approach thither, but by the 
 Mouth of this great River, this would be the 
 true means to make Trade flourifh : 1 he Povvei ot 
 the Prince would be augmented, and his Dominions 
 far extended by the PofTelfion of this great River. 
 
 There might be joined to this many great Coun¬ 
 tries which might be feized upon inchisvalt Conti- 
 0 l 3 ncnt 
 
150 A Voyage into North America, 
 
 nent upon the River Mefcbafipi , which is far more T 
 convenient than the River of St. Lawrence to eftablifh ft 
 Colonies in : for here may be had two Harvefts a 
 year, and in fome places three, belldes a great many ft 
 other advantages. To which may be added, that by p 
 this means a great many Countries would become tri- p 
 butary, and might be joined to thefe new Colonies. io 
 To this I would heartily contribute, being ready to ij 
 facrificc the remainder of my Days to fuch a good (ft 
 work. ■ • : f 
 
 Fir/?, To bring to a happy conclufion fo noble an 3' 
 Enterprize, its neceflary that the Princes or States, 
 which would make ufe of our Difcoveries, fhould very r. 
 exa&ly adminilter Juftice. The beginnings of all k 
 
 Colonies are difficult. It’s neceflary therefore to ti 
 
 prevent Thefts, Murders, Debaucheries, Blafphemies, Jc 
 and all other forts of Crimes, which are too common pit 
 with the Europeans that inhabit America. tc 
 
 Secondly , A Tort ought to be built at the mouth of -SI 
 the River of St. Laurence , and above all at the mouth h 
 of Mefcbafipi, which are the only places where Ships n 
 can come. Then the Inhabitants might extend them- 
 felves, and clear the Ground twenty, or twenty five 
 Leagues round about. They might have feveral Har- | it 
 veils in the Year, and might employ themfelves in |c 
 taming wild Bulls, which might be made ufe of feveral I 1 1 
 ways: belldes, advantage mult be drawn from Mines 
 and Sugar-Canes, which are here far more frequent 
 than in the Illes of America , the Ground being richer 1 1 
 and fitter for Canes •, among which may be fown 
 great quantities of feveral forts of Grain, which never 
 come to maturity in thofe Iflands. The Climate of 
 the Countries which are hetwixt the frozen Sea and 
 the Gulph of Mexico , is far more temperate along 
 the River Mefcbafipi thanin the Illes above mention’d. 
 
 The A ir is of the fame Temperature as in Spain , Ita¬ 
 ly ■> and Provence. The Men and Women go always 
 
 with 
 
A Voyage into North America. 151 
 
 with their Heads bare, and are taller than the Euro¬ 
 peans. 
 
 As to the Sentiments thefe Barbarians have of 
 Heaven and Earth when they are asked. Who is he 
 that made them ? forae of their more antient and 
 abler Men anfwer. That as to the Heavens they know 
 not who made them. If you have been there, 
 fay they, you mult know fomething of the matter: 
 it’s a foolifh Queftion, fay they, to ask what we think 
 of a place fo high above our Heads \ how would you 
 have us to fpeak of a place that never none faw ? 
 
 But, fay they, can you fhevv by the Scripture of 
 which you fpeak, a Man that ever came from thence, 
 and the manner how he mounted up thither ? When 
 we anfwer, that our Souls being unfettered from the 
 Body, are of infinite agility, and that in the twink¬ 
 ling of an Eye they mount up thither to receive the 
 recompeuce of their Works from the hand of the 
 Mafter of Life •, thefe People, who have a great 
 indifference for whatfoever is faid to them, and 
 are cunning enough in feeming to approve in outward 
 appearance, whatfoever is thought convenient to pro- 
 pofe to them \ being harder preffed, they anfwer. 
 It’s well for thofc of your Country ; but we Ameri¬ 
 cans do not go to Heaven after Death: We only go 
 to the Country of Souls, whither our People go to 
 hunt fat Bealls, where they live in greater Tranquil¬ 
 lity than here. All that you fay is good for thofc that 
 dwell beyond the great Lake ; for fo they call the 
 Sea. They further fay, that as to themfelves they 
 are made in another manner than the People of Eu¬ 
 rope: So that their Converfion does folcly depend up¬ 
 on the good will and pieafure of God, who mull wa¬ 
 ter our planting. 
 
 As to the Sentiments of the Savages relating to the 
 Earth, they makcufe of a certain Genius which they 
 call Micabocbe , who covered all the Earth with Water, 
 * ' L 4 • whiefc 
 
152 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 which feems to retain fome Tradition of the Deluge. ft 
 
 Thefe Savages believe that there are between Hea- fit 
 
 ven and Earth, certain Spirits in the Air, which have ft 
 
 power to predict future things } and others that are ft 
 
 excellent Phyficians, for the cure of all forts of Mala- 
 dies. This makes them very fuperllitious, and to ;ro 
 confult the Oracles with great exa&nefs. 
 
 One of thefe Mailer-Juglers, who paffed for a Wi- ioi 
 Sard and Conjurer among them, made a Cabin be e- mi 
 reded with ten great Stakes well fix’d in the Ground. De 
 He made a dreadful Noile about confulting the Spi- •» 
 rits, to know if there would quickly fall abundance ft 
 of Snow, for the better hunting of Elks and Bevers. 
 
 This famous Jugler cried out all on a fudden, that he ii 
 faw great ftore of Elks which were at a diltance, but 61 
 
 that they were coming within feven or eight Leagues n 
 
 of their Cabins. This made thefe poor People re- .ii 
 joice exceedingly. > p 
 
 It’s to be obfcrv’d that when the.Jugler,or pretend- » 
 ed Prophet, milfes the mark, they have no lefs elieem H 
 
 for him; it’s fufficient that he hath guefTed right three tt 
 
 or four tunes, to gain him a lafting Reputation. I 'ti 
 told them that the great Mailer of Heaven, who go- f 
 
 verns all things, ought only to be addrelfed in our V 
 
 Petitions and Neceflities. They anfwered me that they k 
 knew him not, and that they would be glad to know 
 whether he could fend them Elks and Bevers; lb f 
 blind arc thefe People. I told them once that we Eu¬ 
 ropeans knevr how all things were made,and by whom. 
 
 They told" me that if I would go and live with them, ‘ 1 
 they would fend their Children to be inltru&ed. 
 
 Thefe Sentiments of the Savages let us fee, that the 
 greatdl good that can be done among them, is to 
 baptise their dying Infants. 
 
 The Millions of the Northern America are far diffe¬ 
 rent from others. There is nothing to be found a- 
 greeableto Nature, nothing but whatcontradidls the 
 
A Voyage into North America. 153 
 
 inclination of the Senfes: One rriult fubmit to infinite 
 Fatigues, and barren and ingratetul Labour., Not- 
 withftanding thofe who apply therafelves with zeal, 
 confefs they find a fecret Charm which inclines them 
 to this work \ fo that if any Neceflity diverts them 
 from it, they .are much perplexed. 
 
 This feems to me to be a good Prefage for the Mif- 
 fionsof thefe Countries, and that God Almighty will 
 not fuffer them always to remain in the Shadows of 
 Death; fince by his Grace he makes the Miffioners 
 find fo much pleafure in thofe Labours, fo contrary to 
 Flelh and Blood. 
 
 Patience is abfolutely neceflary for this Employ. 
 All along our Travels in America we din’d upon the 
 Ground, or upon fome Mat of Bulrulhes when we 
 were in the Cabins of fome Savage. A fagot of Ce¬ 
 dar was our Pillow in the Night-, our Cloaks our 
 Coverlets} our Knees our Table fome Bathes tied 
 together, our Seats; the Leaves of Indian Corn, our 
 Napkins. We had fome Knives, but they were of 
 no ufe to us for want of Bread to cut. Except in the 
 time of the great Hunting, and certain Seafons of the 
 Year, Flelh-meat was fo fcarce that we were oft fix 
 Weeks, or two Months, without eating any, unlefs 
 ^t were a morfel of-a wild Dog, or fome piece oi a 
 Bear, or Fox, which the Savages gave us at their 
 
 Feafts. ^ 
 
 Our common Food was the fame with the Savages, 
 viz. Sagamite , or Pottage made of Water and Indian 
 Corn with Gourds : To give it a ReliJh,we put into it 
 Marjoram, and a fort of Brim, with wild Onions 
 which we found in the Woods and Fields. Our on 1- 
 nary Drink was Water. If any of us was indiipofed, 
 while the Sap was up in the Trees, we made a hole m 
 the Bark of a Maple, and there dropt out a iweet 
 Sugar-like Juice, which we faved in a Platter made ot 
 
 the Bark cf a Birch-tree j we drank it as a Sovereign 
 
 Rc- 
 
1 fi ^ ^into North America.' 
 
 wham I had managed with all the dexterity I could 
 during the fix or feven Years I was among them * 
 iometimes by Embaffies, which I was charged with • 
 
 £?SS b £^ ln/ 5 r P aions 1 gave them for Read! 
 ing and Writing, and for Religion it felf. We con- 
 tmoed this warlike Nation in Peace as much as pofii- 
 
 The Iroquois, who call the Religious of our Order 
 fta gon, that is to fay, naked Feet , have often re¬ 
 gretted our Abfence about the Lake Ontario , or Fron- 
 tmac where they had a Mifiion-houfe. I have often 
 heard fay, that when a Prielt of St. Sulpitius, aje- 
 & Pt^ny other Ecclefiaftick of Canada, asked them 
 how it happen d that they gave them no ihare of their 
 ~f me ’ as they were wont to give the naked Feet? 
 
 th^^ fWer A tha ^ 0Ur Recolets hv’d in common as 
 hey did, and that they took no Recompence of all 
 the Prefents that they made them: That they nei- 
 ;' °° k Furs > of .which all the Europeans are fo 
 . °i her Recompence, for all that our 
 
 Religious did for them. This Ihews, that one mult 
 begin by the Animal part with thofe People, and af¬ 
 ter proceed to the Spiritual. And that if, as in the 
 Primitive Church, the Chriftians of this Age were of 
 
 fft- on xT S ° Ut ’ and whoI, y difinterefied, 
 without doubt this Nation would be eafier converted! 
 
 s true, that while I was a Miffioner at Fort Fron- 
 SSl T? n S theTr^adfe, and that the Jcfuits were 
 h 2 eand Jfere in their Country, thefe Rc- 
 frr fer c Ved , C °.° ther P ur l )ofcs than my felf: For 
 fLli i Barbanans arc wholly led by Sertfe, they 
 Joo^ed upon the Jefiiit Miflioners as Captains, 
 
 or?n^ , en i n f r C ^ 0nMer r bIe as Envoys, and 
 
 ERcfiddnsof the French Colony of Canada, 
 
 w£o * he Alliance which was among them 
 
 * f J Cac ? and War, who fened for 
 J ^ ses when went to trade in the inhabited 
 
 parts 
 
A Voyage into North America.' 157 
 
 parts of Canada otherwife thefe Barbarians would 
 have had perpetual Diffidences, and would have been 
 afraid of being detained for want of Hoftages, and 
 of this Security for their Lives and Goods. 
 
 It’s obfervcd, that t;he Miffioners of whom I fpeak, 
 undertake the Tutelage of the Savages, of which 
 they acquit themfelves vary well. They draw thefe 
 Barbarians into their Refidences, and exercife them 
 in clearing the Ground of their Settlements, which 
 contributes much to the Advantage of the Colony, 
 and the Church it felf. To their Reputation and 
 Zeal muff be attributed many confiderable Foundati¬ 
 ons for this Million, which they have obtained from 
 many powerful and zealous Perfons, whole Liberali¬ 
 ty they manage as well as the annual Gratifications of 
 the King for the fame purpofe. 
 
 Bcfides, thefe Miffions are the places where true 
 Saints are formed, by the Labours of an indefatiga¬ 
 ble Zeal, a fervent Charity, accompanied with Pati¬ 
 ence and Humility, and by a great DilmterelTednefs *, 
 by an extraordinary Sweetnefs, and by a lively and 
 pure Faith : but it’s a kind of an ApolUefinp diffe¬ 
 rent from that of other Nations. ■ 
 
 But to fpeak here one word of the Progrefs ot 
 thefe Miffions. Is it poffible that this pretended pro¬ 
 digious number of converted Savages Ihould efcape 
 the Kncwledg of a croud of French Canadins, who 
 go abroad every Year from home at leaft three oc 
 four hundred Leagues, to the utmoft Borders of the 
 difeovered Countries, to trade, where forpe of them 
 fojourn whole Years for to barter their Commodi¬ 
 ties? How happen’d it that thefe devout Churches 
 difappeared when f travelled through the middle 01 
 the Countries ? How comes it to pafs that fo many 
 Men of Scnfe fhould not diicern than ; 
 
 Beffite, it’s well kuowii that the Savages coma 
 
 every Year in great Troops into Cmtftfo yi MMggg 
 
i <jS A Voyage into North America. 
 
 Canoos loaden with Furs. There is to be feen a Con* 
 courfe of all forts of Savages, who are as it were the 
 feled People of all thofe different Nations. All the 
 Country are Witneffes, that in their Manners and 
 Doings nothing appears but Barbarity, without any 
 lign or mark of Religion. All the Proof they can 
 give, is, that like Idols they aflift at our Myfteries 
 and Inftrudions : for the reft we may fee them indif¬ 
 ferent, without difcoveringany Faith or Spirit of Re¬ 
 ligion. It may be called rather an effed of their Ch- 
 riolity : Some of them come upon the account of In- 
 tereft, others upon a Motive of Fear, or fome parti¬ 
 cular Efteem they have for the Perfon of fome Miilio- 
 nepj whom they often regard as a confiderable Chief. 
 - 1 All therefore that can be done, is to draw out of 
 the Woods fome Families which Ihew the moft Doci¬ 
 lity, and to difpole them to fettle in fome inhabited 
 Place. There are two Villages in the Neighbour* 
 hood of Quebec, and two other-higher up upon the 
 River of St. Lamence , near Mont-royal , which are 
 feparated from the Commerce of the Europeans. It’s 
 therefore in thofe Parts that the Church of the Sa¬ 
 vages is to be found. - Tho their Language as well as 
 Manners are altogether favage, yet for all that thofe 
 Neophytes are kept in their Devoir. Great pains is 
 taken to educate them in Piety, yet not much is 
 gain’d upon their Spirit. There are fome that are 
 Chriftians in good earneft •, but there are many entire 
 Families who efcape from the MilfiOners after having 
 abode with them ten or twelve Years, and return to 
 the Woods to their firft mode of living. 
 
 . It may be reply’d by fome, that we fee many Chrif- 
 tians in Europe fwerve from their Duty, and dilgrace 
 their Charader by a Libertine Condud *, but we do 
 not difeourfe here of the Corruption of the Manners 
 ot the Savages, butof their adhefion to Chrillianity: 
 It’s certain, they quite apoftatize from it. 
 
A Viojage into North America. i5 9 
 
 The contrary has been declar’d in France , in feve- 
 ral Relations which have been publilh’d upon this 
 Subject, which were order’d to be read to the Penfio 
 narics of the Vrfelines. It’s faid, that there are a 
 great many Indians converted, and others ready for 
 the Sacrament of Confirmation, and that forae of 
 them have received the lefler Orders. Would to God 
 that all thofe Churches fpoke of in the Relations were 
 as real, as all the judicious People of Canada know 
 they ar-e chimerical. If they were formerly, what’s 
 become of them now ? after almoft an Age they are 
 no more to be feen * and yet the Colony of Canada 
 increafes. The Trade is greater than formerly, and 
 it’s better known, fo that the pretended number of 
 Converts would be eafily difcovered. 
 
 When formerly thefe Relations were read to Per- 
 fons who had not that knowledg of Canada we have 
 at prefent, it gained Credit with every body ac¬ 
 cording to their Inclinations. It was eafy to impofe 
 upon People in this refpedh But as to me who have 
 been upon the Place, and who have always fpoke my 
 mind with a great deal of Candor and Liberty, I 
 content my felf to appeal to all the Inhabitants of 
 Neva France , who are at prefent fifteen or fixteen 
 thoufand Souls; I am allured they will confels inge- 
 nuoufly, there is Icarce any Chriltianity among the 
 Savages at this day, except fome particular Perfons, 
 and thofe in fmall numbers, very fickle and incon- 
 llant, ready at every moment for any fmall Interefc 
 to abandon their Religion. 
 
 . * c ke fome Advances are made towards 
 the civilizing thofe Barbarians, and to make them 
 more polite than they were. But all the Inhabitants 
 °f thofe Countries know, that they are no more 
 Chriltians than formerly. Notwithftanding it’s ve¬ 
 ry probable that they would have adhered better to 
 theChriltian Religion, if they had trod in the Iteps 
 
 of 
 
of the Religious of our Order, if they had kept a 
 folid Peace with the Iroquois and other Savage Nati¬ 
 ons, and if they had been mingled among the Euro¬ 
 peans, to make them more docible and more trada¬ 
 ble. , MM 
 
 While I was in the Million of Canada , I bethought 
 me one day tp ask fome judicious Men, how it hap¬ 
 pen’d that we had no more Annual Relations of the 
 Millions of Canada. When thofe whom I had asked 
 gave me no Anfwer, a certain Perfon who thought 
 no ill, told me, that the Court of Rome had order’d 
 that the Relations of foreign Millions Ihould beex- 
 adly true : That the Congregation De propaganda 
 Fide had order’d that no more Ihould be publilhed 
 that were not of publick Notoriety, and clear as the 
 Sun at Noon. This feem’d to me to be a judicious 
 Anfwer. 
 
 Reflecting upon this, we ought to admire the Judg¬ 
 ments of God upon thefe barbarous Nations, and to 
 acknowledg his Mercy toward us, that he has been 
 pleafed to let us be born of Parents illuminated with 
 the bright Rays of the Chriftian Faith, in a Coun¬ 
 try where we are betimes formed to Piety, and all 
 manner of Vertues •, where the multitude of interi- 
 our Graces and exteriour Helps prefent us the means 
 to fecure our Salvation, if we be faithful. 
 
 We ought to give him the Glory that is due tp 
 him for the excellent Lights we have received, and 
 which dilfcinguilh us fo advantageoufly from fo ma¬ 
 ny Nations who are in the Darknefs of Error and 
 Blindaefs. This ought to oblige us to make our 
 Eledioafure by all forts of good Works, fetting be¬ 
 fore our Eyes the account we mult one day give before 
 the dreadful Tribunal of God, of the ufe we have 
 made of all his Graces and Benefits. 
 
 C H A 
 
 / 
 
uir/rimimnn // / irn 
 
 A Voyage into North America. i6t 
 
 CHAP. XXXVI. 
 
 The Hijlory of the Irruption which the Englijh made 
 into Canada in the Tear 1628. The taking of 
 Quebec, the Metropolis of Canada, in the Tear 
 1629, The mofl honourable Treatment they 
 gave the Ilecolets. 
 
 1 Thought my felf obliged to publilh the Obferva- 
 tions which 1 have drawn from the Reverend Fa¬ 
 ther Valentine le Roux , Provincial Commiflary of 
 our Recolets of Canada, who is a Man of lingular Me¬ 
 rit. I have told you in my firft Volume, that 1 com¬ 
 municated to him my Journal of the Difcovery 1 made 
 of all the River of Mefchafyi. 1 his Man, who has 
 a deep and piercing judgment, has publilhed v\hat 
 he knows of the Intrigues of Canada' under a bor¬ 
 rowed Name*, and he Ihews in his Work, that the 
 Conduft of Providence is always admirable, and that 
 ihe accomplifhes her Deligns by ways impenetrable, 
 in their Beginning, in their Progrefs, anc. in tneir 
 
 Perfe&ion. „ ,. , r . „ , 
 
 The Colony of New France , fays this clear-lighted 
 Religious, for a long time 'flourifhed more and more} 
 great Difcoveries were made. Trade advanced, the 
 People encrealed, Gbappels and Oratories were built 
 in many places, and the Country had a new face of 
 Government: But God permitted all tins to be ruined 
 by the defeent of the Englilh, who pretend that their 
 Soveraign is not only Ring of three Kingdom:., u 
 
 Some Englilh, zealous for their Nation, armed a 
 fleet in KS28, to feize upon panada, in the Reign or 
 Lew XI11, Father of the prefent King, d vv 0 Tur- 
 
ties, of which grtafrlights are in this Country, fell 
 pf themfelves in tilery calm tinte into the Fort of 
 Quebec the 9th of July the fame Year. The Inhabi¬ 
 tants of Canada took it for a Preftge of the Charfge 
 
 thathapper^d; iw bsiiisqrrrot^s stbfodbnesq 
 
 The Englilh-in ihs-ix; Route feizcd upon a.' French 
 Veflel which was at theEMouthof the River of St. 
 Franck, in that part of the Ifle which is called Pktte'df, 
 becaufe of a ftfialtCapeof Land which (hoots? out iti* 
 to the Sea, in iherraiddle of which is a great Arch- 
 which is naturally pierced in the Rock, undeibwhidi 
 the Chahups that fi(h for Poor Jack pafe when they're^ 
 turn from Filhing. The Englilh fail’d with a fair 
 Wind, and advanced up the River as far as TadouffaQ 
 which is a River that falls into this, and comes from? 
 the Countries which are towards Uudfotfs Bayi&s 
 may be feen in the Maps. .bnutaut ibl 
 
 ; The Englifh found a Bark, which they made ufe 
 of to land 20 Souldiers : Thefe were fen c to feizenp^ 
 on Cape Torment, fo called, becaufe of the danger s 
 the Ships are in.there daring theTempefts, whiffet 
 are more frequent here than in any part of the Riven, 
 Two Savages who lived amongthe Europeans having 
 difCovered them, gave advice to Quebec, which is but 
 about feven or eight Leagues from the Cape. _ 
 Monlieur Cbantplin, who was Governor r ot that 
 City, entreated Father Jofepff Caron , Superibtr of 
 the Rccolets, tc go near the Englilh Fleet in a Canoo of! 
 Bark, to know the Truth. The Advice was but too 
 true; He found it confirm’d about five Leagues from 
 Quebec, and had no otter time but prefently torun 
 a (hoar, and fave himfelf in the Woods. The two 
 Rfeligious we hadtac Cape Tomment came by- Land to 
 Quebec , with the Sicur Fane her, who was Coraman- 
 d intthbre, itirgivfe-^n account of the taking of Cape 
 To«s:;:ent. ’dttetEnglifh there feized upon all the Et- 
 the Inhabitants fled into the 
 t ^ izoij—.ixnuCI ( v- .arc; fo oods. 
 
 ; c Id 
 
&‘£T8$fA wva ^ Sw <ot 
 
 A Voyage into North America. . 163 
 
 Woods. There were but three that fell into the 
 hands of the Englifh y one of whom was called Bivet^ 
 Wftbhis Wife and his Niecci hSoon after they ap¬ 
 peared before Quebec, accompanied within Officer of 
 MxzKirkr Admiral of the Eftgiiflr Fleet, il^r. 
 
 This Officer fummoned them by a Letter from the 
 Admiral to furrerider the Place: but theGovernour, 
 who was a gallant Man of his Perfen, tho much em- 
 barafs’d with this Invafion, remaining firm and un¬ 
 daunted, made them fo fierce an Anfwer, that the 
 Englifh, who will rather perifh than defift from an 
 Enterprize, believed by this Anfwer that the Fort of 
 Quebec was in a better condition than they thought-ip 
 was. So this time they let it alone, and putting off 
 their Defign to a more convenient time, they fet fail 
 for England. 
 
 The Engliih General then putting, off the Defign 
 to the Year following, contented himfelf with taking 
 a-great number of Prifoners, which he carried into 
 England, and among the reft a young Savage Huron , 
 called Lewis of the Holy Faith , who had been baptized 
 tyo 1 Years before hy the Archbifhop of Rouen. The 
 reft of the Prifoners, doubtlefs with a defign to 
 be the more valued, laid* that that Savage was the 
 Son of the. King of Canada. The Englifh General 
 believed that fo confiderable a Prifonerwould much 
 facilitate the Gonquelt of the whole Country the 
 Year following. But he was much furprized when 
 after he had taken Quebec , he underftood that the 
 Father of this Savage was a poor mifcrable Huron, 
 who had neither Credit nor Power in his own Nati¬ 
 on. This was the Reafon that the Son was reftored 
 m a pitiful Habit* The Englifh took from him all 
 the Equipage they had given him,as fuppofing he had 
 been the Son of a King. The Reputation this Sa¬ 
 vage was infor feme time was the Caufe of his Ruin, 
 and itffiay be of his eternal Damnation j for being 
 
 M a among 
 
164 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 among the Savages, he loft all the Ideas of Chriftian Iff 
 
 Religion. . /'• • * 
 
 In the fright that every body was in upon the Ar- » 
 rival of the Englifh, many Savage Mobntaineers fir 
 came to offer their Service to the Recolets of Quebec: :tf 
 among the reft the above-mentioned Napaga Bifcou , k 
 
 who having been inftrudted and baptized by Father as 
 jof. pb Caron , endeavoured to do the belt fervice he jgj 
 cpul.l to his Benefaftor. As foon therefore as he jo 
 could make his Efcape from the Englifh, he repre- •( 
 fented to Either Jofcpb, that if the Enemy did the ::F 
 fame at Jguebec they had done at Cape Tourment , the IV 
 Savages would find no Retreat any more for their 3 
 Comfort during Winter: 1 beg of you Father, fays 53: 
 this Savage, that you would be pleafed to let two or >c 
 three of your Friars go along with me y they will 
 fay Prayers for us, and inftrudt our Children, and jji 
 thofe of our Nation who have not as yet feen any 
 Naked Feet, for fo they call our Recolets: I’ll ftp- a 
 port them; they fhall be treated as my felf, and we’ll \ 
 come from time to time to vilit you. if $ 
 
 Father Jofepb liked well this Propofition : the Sa- £ 
 vage took two along with him, which he led to a ? 
 place where this Indian dwelt, who likewife begg’d j 
 that Friar Gervafi Mohier , a Lay-brother, might be jj 
 one of them: they defigned to pafs that Winter a- % 
 mong the Jlgonquins. They prefently therefore de- 5 
 parted for the three Rivers, and run a great many $ 
 rifques in the journey: Their Canoos were bilged [ 
 about fi fteen Leagues below the three Rivers, fo that 
 they were forced to go the reft of the Journey tho- a 
 row the Woods. They thought to be carried by the - 
 Tide, which flows up the River of St. Lawrence above 
 a hundred and thirty fix Leagues from the Sea : At 
 laft by the help of a Canoo which they light upon by 
 chance, they came to the three Rivers, where were 
 Villages erected by the Mountaineers and uilgonqains: 
 
 , : 4 thefe 
 
A Voyage' into North Amend*. 165 
 
 thefe Savages were expe&ing there the Harveft-time 
 for their Indian Corn. They made great dcmPn- 
 Itrations of the real Affe&ion they had for theni, 
 of whom they had heard much Difcourfe from Fa¬ 
 ther to Son. 
 
 Being there, they underltood the Englilh were 
 gone out of the River, and that before that they had 
 fought and vanquilhed the French Fleet which cams 
 into Canada. This News obliged Menton Champ- 
 //», Governour of Quebec, as well as all the rclt of 
 the French, to defire Father Jofeph to come back. 
 
 While things palTcd thus, twenty Canoos were 
 fecn to arrive, conducted by the Hurons, who brought 
 along with them Father Jofeph de la Roche Daillon , 
 Recolet. The Grief of Nepaga Bufcon is not to be 
 exprdTed when he was to part with this Religions^ 
 But the Order was peremptory. I cannot here.for¬ 
 get the dexterous Contrivance of a young Chrifiiart 
 Savage to rid himfelf out of the hands of die Eng- 
 lifli, or rather to procure fome Prefent from the 
 French : He was called Peter Antony jirekbuiaiott, and 
 had been baptized in France , and educated in a Col¬ 
 lege at the Expence of the Prince of Gnimeni: He 
 was at TadouJJdc when the Englilh appeared there, 
 and fo was taken Prifoner with the reft, and carried 
 aboard: he was interrogated in French and Latin, 
 but made as if he underltood nothing of, what he 
 was asked. 
 
 Captain Michel a French-man, who out of Difcon- 
 tent had a long time before, gone over to the Englilh, 
 knew this Savage, and that be underltood both Lan¬ 
 guages: He gave an account to the General of it, 
 who kept him for an Interpreter for, the Englilh 
 when they fhould go tp traffickwith the Indians. Pe¬ 
 ter Antony could no longer conceal his Kopwledg of 
 the two Languages, and that he was a Chriltian \ 
 but-he bethought him of a Stratagem: He pre- 
 
 M 3 tended 
 
1 66 A. Vam into North America. 
 
 tended he would really efpoufe the part of the Englijh, 
 He told tihe Adnffral he was to keep fome mealures 
 with the Frtbcb y and above all, that he was much 
 obliged to the kecdlets who had converted him, and 
 Who°hdd taught him what he nnderftood of Latin 
 and French. He begg’d of the Admiral, that he 
 
 hU tn OupUpC that h* rinrtiM 
 
 l 
 
 ‘X 
 
 iH 
 
 II uv* uuiu 
 
 go to the twee Rivers with Canoosloaden 
 with Provifions and Merchandises and that he 
 would induce a great number of Savages to come 
 and trade. The Admiral believed what he faid, 
 and granted him all he demanded: But this Man fee¬ 
 ing himfelf out of the hands of the Englifh, who 
 had treated him very civilly, went ftraight to the Red 
 Ifland, crofs’d the River of St Laurence; came to the 
 River of Wolves, and afterwards the Admiral heard 
 no farther tidings of him. 10 * 3 ™°“ ‘ 
 
 They had a hard Winter of it at Quebec, for they 
 wanted all forts of Neceflarics ; and becaufe the Ships 
 which brought Proviliofis were feiied on by the £^- 
 lijh, they were therefore obliged tfd'dtriwrm Aral 
 Prpvifion that was left. Our Religions might Me 
 had their fhare as well as others, but they contented 
 themfelves with Indian Corn, and the Pulfe they had 
 fown. v Madam Hebert made them a Prefent of two 
 
 it 
 
 Barrels of Peafe, which are extraordinary good and 
 large in Canada ; befides they had Railins, and had; 
 
 hibrtbl -JtUipJi.a 4Q " • 
 
|U ^ryag'iwKonhAmw. ,S 7 
 
 w thc s P rin S Monfieur de Champtin feeing 
 m Neceffity we were m all Winter, which was very 
 Jbarp m Canada, mfomuch that for the moll part the 
 Siww wa s five or fix foot deep, and continued fo, for 
 
 if fplrlnm minp in \\ 7 1 _ _ j _/? . v' 7 _ 
 
 ’W Point aux'Items : Some other private Perfons 
 granted other Lands: They were plowed in Jhalbe^ 
 Md there was fown bearded Wheat, Pelfoand-In- 
 Jjao Wheat, at the beginning and middle, of May. 
 Jhey were forced to do fo, becaufe Wheat there can¬ 
 not endure the Winter as in our Parts o: 
 t ^caufe of the extream Cold. 
 
 if any tidings of any French Veflelj they went 
 Jn a Chaloup, but could hear no news of any. But 
 they were allured that the Cafpefien Savages offered 
 to maintain twenty intire Families. The Algonquiiss 
 and Mountaneers offered larger Supplies! A Ship 
 wns equipped to go into France • the Simr de Eouir, 
 iSieur Cbamplin 's Brother-in-law, was made Captain 
 of her ; he took the Sicur da Dames Commillat y 
 offc Company, for his Lieutenant, - • .o' 
 
 Being come near Cafpec in the Bay of .St. Laurence, 
 fctoey happily met with a French jShip CQnroanded by 
 i tile Sieur Emeric de Caen , who brought them Supplies. 
 ^Hejtol^tliem that the King did fen^ittys, ^Sime,{de 
 the Eng)i(h, anfi to? Counts. 
 sglhfSlup was laden, and thf^ieurjf Bfiulle. rewwd 
 towards Quebec, and then was taken hy an. Engljfo 
 VelTe!, and was made a Pnfoner of , Vy$wr w «t h s 
 
 }<£?fiPSbsfu bed omit amoltdl offw oriT . 
 
 tw,e^ty Canoos,we^uaithg^cfta^G^^ v$IW- 
 •hftjr de Cbamplin gave one ^jart to the jcdqits^ vv<ho 
 
 M 4 ‘ - had 
 
, 68 A Vojagt into North America, 
 had taken upon them the charge to take care of fe- 
 veral and our Reccllets having alfo receiv’d a fupply 
 of Victuals, fubfifted till the arrival of th z Englifh, 
 
 which wa 6 not long. / f . 
 
 The Enghfl) f leet furprued the French m Canada \ 
 they appeared in the Morning the i fth of July 167.9. 
 Over againft the great Bay of Quebec, ht the Point 
 of the Iile of Orleans. The Fleet confifted of three 
 Ships, and ilx others which flay’d at Tadoujfac, and 
 followed them. The Mifiioners, Jefuits, and Recoi¬ 
 led had Orders to retire into the Fort of Quebec with 
 the Inhabitants. Father Valentine le Roux allured us 
 there was only Powder for three or four Difcharges 
 of Cannon, and eight or nine hundred Loads for 
 
 Mufquets. , t 
 
 Mr. Kirk , General of the Englifh Fleet, fent an 
 Englifh Gentleman to Sicur de Ehamplin to fummon 
 the Place, and to deliver a very honourable Letter.. 
 The miferable ftate of the Country, which had nei¬ 
 ther Provifions nor Ammunition, for there had come 
 no Supply for two Years paft, obliged the Governor 
 to return a more fupple Anfvvcr than the Year pafl. 
 
 He therefore deputed Father JofephCaron, Superior 
 of the Kuolhts, and font him aboard the Englifh Ad¬ 
 miral, to treat of the Surrender of Quebec upon ad- 
 vantagi'ens Terms \ and above all, to obtain fome de¬ 
 lay/if^potable. Father Jofeph demanded fifteen days, 
 but the 'Englifh General knowing the weak con¬ 
 dition, of the place, would- ad min c*f no delay. The 
 Father infilled frill' upon fifteen days,. upon which 
 the Englii'h call’d & Councils and the Refult was, they 
 Would only grant th.em that day till night. The 
 Admiral gave Orders to Father Jofeph to return to 
 Quebec with this Anfwer, and that they fhould there 
 make the Articles of Capitulation ready, which 
 fhould be punctually perform’d. 
 
 * The 
 
A Voyage into North America. 169 
 
 The Engliffi Admiral in a very civil and obliging 
 manner told Father Jofepb, that he with his Religions 
 might return to their Convent, and bid him be of 
 good chear, for no harm fhould be done them, happeri 
 what would. 
 
 Two French Prifonets, the one called Bailli , for¬ 
 merly CommilTavy of the Company of Merchants, 
 and Peter k Roy, by trade a Waggoner, had done ill 
 Offices to the Jefuits with one of the Engliffi Cap¬ 
 tains : They perfwaded him that he ffiould find with 
 them great Riches. This was the reafon that this 
 Captain told Father Jofepb in a heat, that if the 
 Wind had proved good, they would have begun with 
 their College firftf Father Jofiph at his return told 
 them of the defign, on purpofe that they might take 
 care of their Affairs in the Articles of the Treaty 
 which were to be made. 
 
 Father Jofeph having receiv’d this Anfwer from the 
 Admiral, who fhewed him the Ships with all the 
 Ammunition, and the Souldiers with their Arms; 
 in conclufion, he was feta flioar, and made his Re¬ 
 port to Monfieur Champlin at Quebec. m 
 
 A Council was held, and they were divided in their 
 Sentiments. Two French Men who had accompa¬ 
 nied Father Jofepb, obferved that the Englifh weie 
 but few in number, and that they had not above two 
 or three hundred Men of regular Troops, with tome 
 others that had not the Mein of Souldiers: Bendes, 
 they confided much in the Courage of the Inhabitants 
 of Quebec they were therefore much inclined, as 
 well as the Jefuits, and our Religious, to run the risk 
 of a Siege. But the Experience that Monfieur Cbam- 
 plin had of the Bravery of the Englifh, who would 
 rather periffithan defift from an Enterprize which 
 they had once begun, advifed the C ouncil rather to 
 furrender upon honourable Terms than ruin all. 
 The Articles of Capitulation were drawn up accor- 
 
i7Q A Voyage Naftfiftmenda. 
 
 ding to Monfieur Champlins AdviceFather Jofeph 
 was comtniflioned to carry them aboard the Eftglilh 
 Admiral and all things being adjusted, they de¬ 
 manded time till themexthifov. ” s - i « * sreiuSutt 
 
 manded time till the next^iy; 
 
 At the fame time the Sa^&ges that, were lovers of 
 our Religious, and above all, the afore-ntentioried 
 Chaumitty folicited Father Jofeph and our Friars, that 
 they would be pleafed to grant, that two or three 
 of our Religious might retire into the Woods, and 
 from thence into their Country. Altho Cbaumiit 
 was ndt yet well confirmed in the Ctitfftiaa Religion, 
 he had a very great love and efteerh for our Reli- 
 ' gious; becaufe they lived in common as the Savages 
 
 do. Then having deliberated on this Propofition, 
 they confiderea on- the one fide, that the Emlijb 
 
 'would not be any long time in pofieflion of the Coun¬ 
 try, arid that fooner or later the King of France would 
 
 re-enter by Treaty, or forne ether w. 
 
 intprim if wnnlrl n A 
 
 interim it would advance ‘theftfcfifiL*. a.*iy,, 6 , t 
 the Savages, who offered to cnte r rtaiH otif Religious; 
 
 and that when the Countr, 
 minion of France , our Religious mi 
 Canada , and in eftate to continu 
 
 ler thepo- 
 
 caufe the Englifh General had given fo great marks 
 bf Friendlhip to Father jofeph: In conclufion, two 
 
 went away witn'.tfre Savages m a* Caitoo; anditwa 
 ? riot little Grief to the - Miffioncrs to be ftopt by fore 
 ^ their 1 DoogX fu T* XW™ 
 
 fhtlCoum'fr -^jaiir^ife/cbjefteias 
 
 arid iil/\fos. collided fir 
 riirs-^Rfeafori^ ^fe^afiap i>u&?y hiitriari ; whfh 
 
 i ?aoa 
 
 whether 
 
AVojage into North America. 171 
 
 whether ic was for the Reproach they pretended to 
 have reafon to fear in France, or whether it was the 
 diftruft of Providence towards our Religious, or 
 whether, in Ihort, it was they did not believe the 
 French would return again into Canada , they were 
 forced to yield. 
 
 This afforded matter to build a Complaint upon 
 at Court, and particularly by our friars^of the Pro¬ 
 vince of St. penis, againft Father Jofepb, as not ha¬ 
 ving that firmnefs and Zeal which he ought to have 
 had pn thb occafion * and that the Savages who had 
 put all their Confidence in the Recollets , had been 
 better difpofed' to the Chriftian Religion than ever 
 ' before. 
 
 t Father Jofepb juftificd himfelf the bell he could, 
 affirmed he had done nothing but executed the 
 ^Orders of the Council of Quebec, as the Anfwers 
 make evident, when he gave an account to the De- 
 'jfinitor of his Province at his return, giving an ac¬ 
 count of his Million. 
 
 < The next day, being the 20 th of July, in the Year 
 * i 6 ip. the Sieur de Cbamplin having been on board 
 the Englifli Admiral, the Articles of Capitulation 
 Were figned by both Parties •, after which the English 
 went alhore, and were put in pofleflion of Canada 
 by the Sieur de Cbamplin. 
 
 Father Falentine de Roux , an antient Commijfaire, 
 Provincial of the Friars of Canada, whom I law at 
 my return from my Difcovery, hath all the Articles 
 of Capitulation made by the French at Quebec, with 
 the Engtijb, when the Engl'tjh took pofleflion* hefaid 
 the Stem de Cbamplin faved with his Family all his 
 Effects, and even found fome advantage by this 
 Treaty by the good' Entertainment the Englijh fhew’d 
 him. The French Inhabitants who were then in the 
 Country had every one twenty Crowns, and all the 
 
 reft of their Goods wero to remain to the Conque- 
 
 1: t net »iu» at ,1 uors * 
 
 G 
 
t ~2 A Voyage into North America, 
 
 rors ; and from this was made the great Complaint, * 
 becaufe there were found fome particular Perfons who ^ 
 were enrich’d upon this occaiion. Thofe who were ^ 
 willing to flay in the Country,obtained great Advan- if 
 tages of the Engli/h, but mbit of all the Family of 
 Monlieur Hebert , whom I have often converfed with t 
 at Mount Royal, when I palled by to go to the Fort 
 of Frontenac. The Religious, 1 confeis, were much 
 indebted to the Generofity of the EngUjh for divers V 
 
 fingular Favours, which has always made me have a P u 
 
 great Efteem for that brave Nation : 7 hey kept th« 
 
 punctually their Word given by their Admiral, not 
 differing any Injury to be done to the Convent of our «i 
 
 Lady of Angels at Quebec, nor to our firft Relidence, lb 
 
 which was the place where now Hands the Cathedral tb 
 
 Church of Quebec, our Religious not having been til 
 
 re-eftablilhed there lince. But notwithftanding all ta 
 
 the Diligence that the Englilh Officers made ufe of it 
 
 in our favour, they could not hinder but one of their Hi 
 
 Souldiers Hole from us a Silver Chalice: But the al 
 Englilh Officers, who are naturally.generous* teftified p; 
 much Trouble at it to our Religious, andfworefo-, k 
 lemnly to take Revenge on the Party if he could be s 
 difeovered. fi 
 
 The Jeluits, who came not into Canada till four- • 
 teen or fifteen Years after our.Friars ( who py con- 3 
 
 fequence were the firft Miftioners of America ) met [ 
 
 with a Treatment far different; their Houfe was t 
 pillaged, and all that was found was given as a Prey ; 
 to the Souldiers ; and they were obliged to imbark 
 the next day with the Sjeur Champlin, and all the 
 French except twenty feven, who fet fail towards 
 Tadoujjac: But the two Brothers Lewis and Kirk, 
 the one Admiral, and the other Vice-Admiral of the 
 EngUjh, permitted our Religious to ftay at Quebec: 
 
 The EngUjh teftifying then publickly, that they 
 left us in Canada, to inftrudt the Natives in the 
 
 Princi- 
 
A Voyage /V^ North America. 1 7$ 
 
 Principles of the Chriftian Religion, and that with 
 the content of the King of England , that we might 
 he hirtdred from returning into France. They had at 
 the lame time as much familiarity with them in all 
 things, to fay or do, or makeViiits, ,with the fame 
 liberty as before the taking of Quebec f alfo they were 
 fo far from hindering the exercife of the Rornilh Re¬ 
 ligion, that they prayed them to take from them 
 Wine for the Mafs \ which they knew was before de¬ 
 puted for the ordinary Service of the Church, which 
 there they heartily offered. Our Recollects lived fo 
 above fix Weeks after the taking of Quebec , and re¬ 
 ceived much Civility from the Englilh, who folicited 
 them to ftay amongft them, having liberty to inftrud 
 the Natives who dealt with them. This continued 
 till the 9th of September following, when they em¬ 
 barked us aboard theSieur Font grave , who remained 
 at Canada , becaufe of his Indifpofitioi?, with a de- 
 lign to rejoin the Sieur Cbamplin , the Jeiuits, and 
 all the French of Canada , who were ordered to 
 pafs to Tadoujfacy the day after the taking Quebec. I 
 leave you to think how great Sorrow the MilHoners 
 were plunged into, when enforced to abandon a Mif- 
 fion fo long followed, and with fo much application. 
 
 The hopes that our Friars had of returning in fome 
 good time into Canada , made them hide in feveral 
 places part of their Utenfils, and clofed up. in a Cafe 
 of Elk-Skins, put into a good Box, which no Air could 
 get into, the principal Ornaments of the Church. 
 The Englilh Fleet fetfail the 14th of September for 
 England , and arrived at Plimoutb the 18th of O(iober y 
 where our Recolle&s Raid five or fix days; after 
 which they were conduced to London, with fome 
 more French \ from London they got to Callice the 
 24th of the fame Month, and from thence to our 
 Convent of Porta. 
 
merica. 
 
 The Publick may remark, that the Engliih having £ 
 conferved ourCdrivent of guebec, and that of our 
 Lady of Angels, the laft of which was found in good 
 eftate to receive the Jefuits at their return intoCd- d 
 nada, whilft their Houfe was making ready \ our - ® 
 
 Religious;having told them of the place where they * 
 had hid their Ornaments, gave power to the Jefuits I 
 to make ufe of them, or any thing they had there, 
 as by their confent declarcd.to Father John the Jefiiit, ; I< 
 which they were pleafed to accept, and made ufe of 
 our Goods as their own. alfo of pur Houfe, of pujj ,i fen 
 
 Church, and of our Lands, of which One part they : 
 hold at pvefent, from a place called the Gribannt , ji 
 
 unto the fide of the Convent of our Lady of Angels. joe 
 F rom which it is to be observed, that a Letter attri¬ 
 buted to Father V Alternant Jefuit, and related in the m 
 13th Tome of the French Mercury, muft be a Forgo-; (eft 
 ry : For there he, amongft other things contrary to, fj 
 Truth, makes him fay that he was of the Sentiments,, Lot 
 of his Provincial, to whom he writ, to dedicate ty 
 their Church to oof Lady of Angels, nnd that ours > ter 
 was confecrated to St. Charles •, which clearly demon-i' ofj 
 
 ft rates that this Letter was not Father ti AllenuMt\$£) (Jj 
 
 as is faid: He was better vers’d in the Hiftory of \ 
 America , than to be ignorant that the firft Church iajjj 
 Canada belonged to the Recollects, who were the firft [lit 
 Milfiohers, and that it was confecrated under the,;? 
 
 name’of our Lady of Angels, 
 
 LLa-. 
 
North Amffiea, I 75 
 
 v ''' ’ ' 
 
 ino isrto 
 
 • CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 How the.Religious of the Order of St. Francis, in 
 their Miffions through the habit die World, have 
 keen before the Jefuits. 
 
 -•’T r -7 i:?'i ■ ft • . .'j f)iL ... 
 
 I Cannot but follow the Sentiments of Father Va¬ 
 lentine le Roux , whom 1 have mentioned in the 
 foregoing Chapter, which he hath been pleafed to 
 publifh under the Name of Father Chriftian le Clerc. 
 
 It is a great Glory, ar.d a great fubjedl of Confola- 
 tion, for our Holy Order of the Religious of St. Fran¬ 
 ck, to have had the advantage to be the firft Fore¬ 
 runners of the Reverend Fathers of that Company of 
 Jefus, in all places, by preaching the Gofpel, and 
 firft digging, and preparing the Vineyard of our 
 Lord, in all Apoftolical things, in both the Indies 
 Baft and Weft, in jifia, in Barbary , in Turley , and ge¬ 
 nerally through all parts •, where the Children 
 of St. Ignatius hav6 fince walked in the Steps of the 
 Children of St. Franck. 
 
 In the Eaft-Indies , where the Jeluits are at this day 
 great in Credit, in Merit, and in Wealth, haying 
 the Dew of Heaven, and the Fat of the Earth* the 
 Receiver-General, whofe Name I have forgot, made 
 this Difcourfe in ray prefence, at the Table of Mon- 
 fieur Comte de Frontenac, Governour-General of Nexo- 
 France: That eight Friars Minors were fent in the 
 Year of our Lord 1500, and preached the GofpeLat- 
 Calkxute, and Cochim \ there receiving the Crown of 
 Martyrdom, all except Father Henry , who at his 
 return into Spain was made Confeflor to the King of 
 Portugal, and Bifhcp of Ceuta, 
 
 In 
 
i 7 <5 A Voytgk North America. 
 
 In 1502, there was ordered a great Million of oar $ c £ 
 
 Religious, who opened the wav ranch farther to ad- £ 
 
 vance the Standard of the Crofs ^ and there made a 
 very great pfogrefs of the Gofpel, by the Co river- «j- 
 
 fion of a prodigious number of thefe People. «[ 
 
 In the Year i<ro, our Religious of the Order of it C 
 
 St. Francis built'the famous College or Seminary of «/ 
 
 Goa, the capital City of the Eajl-lndies , and our Re- « ( 
 
 ligious had the Conduct of it, and what accrued to « f 
 
 it, for the fpace of 28 Years , till at the la ft, in the u ■> 
 
 Year 1542, onr Religious gave it to St. Francis Xave- «£ 
 
 riiis, that he might apply himfelf wholly, with his «j, 
 
 Difcipies, to preach the Gofpel to thofe barbarous «j; 
 
 Nations 5 of which the Hiftorians of thofe times give jj 
 
 evidence, and the Lite of St. Francis Xaverius , the ^ 
 
 firft Edition, does declare j above all Father Horace 4 ^ 
 Torcclin , in a later Edition, alloweth it: But a cer* 
 tain late Author of the Jefuits has been pleafed to ftp- w 
 prefs this mark of Acknowledgment, which of Juftice g ( 
 is due to us. [for 
 
 It is well known we have had the honour both in ^ 
 
 the Eaft and Weft-Indies, and even in Japan , where " 7 
 
 we have been Iharers with the Fathers in the Crown ^ 
 
 of Martyrdom} our Religious having planted the ^ 
 Gofpel in the Kingdom of roxu, part of the Eaft of m 
 
 Japan, as I have (hewn in the Preface of this Book; ^ 
 
 and it is in thefe vaft Countries where the Jefuits have 
 been afterwards introduced, lupported, loved, fa- ^ 
 voured, and joined with them in the Apoftolical La- ^ 
 hours. ^ 
 
 It is not lefs evident in other parts of the World; 
 the Religious of St. Francis having fupported and im- ^ 
 ployed to this day, as powerful Miffioners as any fince ^ 
 the beginning of their Order. . 3o 
 
 Alexander the Fourth, in the Year 1254, g| ves ^ 
 
 Teftimony, in one of his Epiftles, that our Religious "j 
 had fpread themfelves in all Countries, notonlym 
 
 
A Voyage into North America. 177 
 
 Schifmaticks, but amongft thofe of Infidels. Remark 
 the words of the Sovereign Pontiff. 
 
 u Alexander, &c. To Our well-beloved the Friers- 
 “ minors, who have been fent Milfioners into the 
 44 Land of the Saracens, Painims , Greeks, Bulgarians, 
 44 Cumaniam , Ethiopians, Syrians, Iberians, Jacobites * 
 44 Nubians, Ncfiorians, Georgians, Armenians, Indi- 
 44 ans, Monofolites, Tartars, the Higher and Lower 
 44 Hungary, to the Chriftian Captives among the 
 u Turks, and to other unbelieving Nations of the 
 44 Eaft, or in any other parts where they are, wifh- 
 44 ing them Health, and fending them our Apofto- 
 44 lick Benedidion. 
 
 In 1272, our Reverend Father Jerom a” Afcole, af¬ 
 terwards created Pope Nicholas the Fourth,, with his 
 Difciples, not only managed the Reconciliation of the 
 Greek with the Latin Church, but preached alfo the 
 Gofpel in Tartary and by this means the Religious 
 Of our Order were fent for by the Princes of the 
 Higher and Lower Armenia, in 1289, and continued 
 their Conquefts in 1332. . 
 
 Turky, with the Kingdoms and Countries under the 
 Grand Signior, -have been, and are yet the Theaters 
 of the Zeal of the Religious of St. Francvs, and are de- 
 monftrations of our Travels. In the Holy Land, and 
 other places, now fubjed tp the Turks, the Chrilh- 
 ans are yet governed by the diredion of the c. uidrcn 
 Of St. Francis. Thofe who keep the Sepulchre of our 
 Lord JefusChrift, have done qpnfiderable Service to 
 the Reverend Fathers Jefuits; others of them upon 
 divers occafions have willingly ferved t 1S ®* . 
 
 Hiftory maketh mention, that m the ear 1342, 
 our Milfioners went into Bofn.a £ 
 
 mongft the Infidels, amongft the gr^tr^n, who 
 now pofiefs China , and into Perfia, Media, and ChaU 
 tie a. 
 
178 A Voyage into North America. 
 
 In 1370 ourMiflion was reinforced by Urban the 
 fifth with 60 of our Religious ■, the Order being then 
 honoured by a great number of Martyrs. 
 
 The Embaflfy of Eugenia the 4tb, and the Million 
 of 40 of our Religious to Prejlerjohn in 1439. fup- 
 ported afterward hy a greater Number, is well 
 known, as well as the Reduftion of thefe States by 
 them to the Obedience of the Church of Rome. 
 
 I fhould never have done, if I lhould undertake to 
 give an account of all the famous Millions we have 
 been honoured with through all the 'World j in 
 which the Reverend Fathers Jefuits have fince fpread 
 themfelves, and are now entred into our Labours, 
 or rather we have the Advantage of continuing them 
 with us, and atting together in perfect Union for the 
 Glory of God, and Propagation of his Gofpel, 
 which we only feek. 
 
 It is for this reafon, that our Recolets of Paris 
 called into Canada the Jefuits to help them, that 
 they might labour together for the gaining of Souls: 
 But it is remarkable, that when the Engliih had refto- 
 red Canada to the French after four Years abode 
 there, the Jefuits, who had better Helps for return¬ 
 ing thither than our Religious, and as it were by In¬ 
 trigues, a Bar was put to the Return of our Reco¬ 
 lets. It was a fenfible trouble to fee, that fince we 
 had preceded all the Jefuits in all other Millions of 
 the Chriftian World, that of A r evt> France was the on¬ 
 ly Place where we had not the Confolation to conti¬ 
 nue with them in the Apolitical Labours \ and 
 by fo much the more, becaufe that reciprocal Chari¬ 
 ty, which was not in the leaft diminilhed between the 
 two Bodies, perfwaded us that the Jefuits, full of 
 ' Vertue and Merit, had much regretted our abfence, 
 as feems to be evident by their Letters at that time. 
 
 It would require a Volume to defcribe the Difficul¬ 
 ties that our Religious have had, to return into our 
 
 Mif- 
 
A Voyage into North America. 17 9 
 
 Millions of C anada, and the Intrigues that fomc have 
 made ufe of to hinder it: but nothing was omitted as 
 to that. In conclufion, about thirty years after the 
 Deputies of Canada , who were impatient for the re¬ 
 turn of our Rccolets, told our Religious more than 
 they were willing to know, and more than Charity 
 would permit to publifn; the Deputies told our Re¬ 
 ligious, they wanted fome to make Curats at Quebec, 
 and in fomeotherplaces ; that their Confciences were 
 much troubled to have to do with' the fame People, 
 both for Spirituals and Temporals, there being no 
 Perfonstowhom they might communicate the diffi¬ 
 culties of their Confciences, but to the Jcfuits \ and 
 that the Rccolets not being fuffcred to be amongft 
 them was a great lofs. 
 
 The Diredors of the Company of Canada dif- 
 courfed us to the like purpofe, particularly Monfieur 
 Rofe, in company of Monfieur Margonne , Berbubier , 
 and others; whofpeaking to our Recolets, exprefs’d 
 himfelf in thefe terms. 4 My Fathers, it had befen 
 ‘ better you had returned into Canada than any o- 
 4 thers; it is a high Injuftice done to them, and the 
 4 Inhabitants : we now fee where the Fault lay, pre- 
 4 fent your R.cafons, and you, and thofe of the 
 4 Country, Jlnall have all the Juflice we can do you. 
 The Secretary of the Company likewife fpoke thus to 
 the Religious. 4 At other times, my Fathers, I 
 4 have been againfl you, for which I have begged 
 4 God’s pardon : I was millaken at that prefent; I 
 4 fee well I have offended ; and I pray God you may 
 4 be fuffered to return into Canada , after fo long 
 4 time, there to take charge of your Cures : you are 
 4 much longed for, for the repofe of Confciences. 
 
 Father Zachary Moreau, Rccolet, who died the 
 death of the Juft in my Arms, in our Convent of 
 St. Germains en Lay, and Paul fduett, who hath been 
 my Father and Mailer from rhy Youth, at our Convent 
 
 2 of 
 
r So A Voyage into North America. 
 
 of Recolets at Montergir , faid to the Deputies of the 
 Company of Canada j 4 That tho they would even 
 c permit ns to return, we would not pretend to ex- 
 
 * ercife the Function of Curats, left we Ihould give 
 4 Jealoufy to any: But if the Reverend Fathers the ]e- 
 
 * fuits Ihould do us the fame Favour that our antient 
 1 Fathers had done them, in the Year 1625, when our 
 
 * Father Jofepb le Caron, Superiour of our Convent of 
 « Quebec , permitted them, and even pray’d them out 
 
 * dt love to exercife the Function of Cures by turns. 
 
 ‘ But all at laft ferved for nothing} the Company 
 « fent back our Religious 'to the Council of Quclec, 
 
 ‘ toamufethem^ becaufe the Council was compofed 
 « of a Governour, and Perfons who were Creatures 
 4 of the Reverend Fathers jefuits, as were theSupe- 
 4 riour of the Million of the Sindic , and of the Inha- 
 « bitants, whom they eafily gained to hinder our re- 
 4 turn into Canada. The Father Provincial of the 
 4 Jefuits, and the Father L' Jlkmont Superiour of the 
 4 ProfeftHoufe, was then in France, Superiour of the 
 4 Millions, which all center’d to prolong our return. 
 The Reader may'judg, that if the Reverend Fathers 
 Jefuits had been in our place, and our Recolets in 
 theirs, whether we Ihould have been wanting to put 
 a value upon their Rcquells, and employed our Cre¬ 
 dit to ferve them: Our Recolets ftood firm for them 
 againft the whole Country, who were againft their 
 coming into Canada ; and after their arrival, when 
 the Governour and Inhabitants oppofed their Recep¬ 
 tion, in the Year 1621, wc fupported them. 
 
 True Charity, which is right and (imple, perfwad- 
 cd us the Reverend Fathers Jefuits would not be 
 waiting to make 11s a willing return of the like, upon 
 this pr'efer.t occafion -, and they allured us by their 
 Letter the Year following, that it was only want of 
 PcWer and Credit in the Council of Quebec, that they 
 x could not do us the Service they delired. 
 
 From 
 
A Voyage into North America. 181 
 
 From this it is eafy to judg, that there was not one 
 favourable Refolution given towards our Religious: 
 The Director-General of the Company, Monfieur 
 Lauzon, appearing to be carelefs of our return, and 
 in it a very great Obftacle , he palling in quality of 
 Governour ot Canada , having often promifed our 
 Re-admiflion: and afterwards going Governour, pre¬ 
 tended not to be wanting to do us good Offices. The 
 Marquefs de Denoville , who after the great Difcovery 
 I had made, went over in quality ot Governour of 
 Canada , made us the like Promifes of Monfieur 
 Lauzon, for the progrefs of our Difcovery: befides, 
 the Marquefs had Orders to fupport our Rccolets in 
 their Inllitute, from the Court of France but it pro¬ 
 ved quite contrary. The Court afterwards recoiling 
 him from his Government, it was given to Monfieur 
 the Count de Frontenac, who hath been in my time a 
 true Father to our Recolets, and a great fupport to 
 our Miffions in Canada •, as I have fpoke at large in 
 my Defcription of my Louijiana , and more in my 
 former Volume. 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 Of the Sentiments that a Miffioner ought to have 
 of the little Progrefs they find in their Labours. 
 
 A LL the Chriltian World acknowledg for a cer¬ 
 tain and undoubted Truth, and Maxim of Re- 
 ligion and one of the chief Principles of Faith that 
 the Vocation and true Converfionof People and Na¬ 
 tions is the great Work and Mercy of the Power of 
 God,’and of the triumphant Efficacy of his Grace 
 and Spirit. But if this be true of Nations that are 
 Infidels and Idolaters, which are already under fomc 
 
1 82 A V y/age into North America. 
 
 Laws and Rules, and fo better prepared to receive ^ 
 the Indrudtions of Chriftian Religion; the Apollo- $ 
 
 lick Man ought much more to acknowledg this de« ' v ^ 
 
 pendance upon the Soveraign Lord, in refpeft of &i 
 
 thofe barbarous Nations who have not any regard of a * 
 
 any Religion true or falfe, who live without Rule ^ 
 without Order, without Law, without God, with- loi . 
 out Worlhip, where Reafon is buried in Matter, and ' Br ‘ 
 incapable of reafoning the molt common things of , ff ?: 
 Religion and Faith. ~ j«l- 
 
 Such are the People of Canada, all along the River m 
 
 of St. Laurence , and generally a prodigious quantity tlul 
 
 of People, of fundry Nations; which I have given an ^ 
 
 account of in my Louifiana, or former Book. And j iS£ 
 
 that which I ofFer is that they would in earned ac- 
 knowledge that the Work of the converlion of fo ^ 
 many blind Nations, is above our drength, and that 
 jtonly appertains to the Father of Spirits, as faith 11 
 St. Paul , who hath the Hearts of all Men in his Hands, 
 and who only is able to remove the Vail which cover- 4? 
 
 eth the Eyes of thefe Barbarians, and to clear their . ^ 
 
 llnderdanding, to dilfipate the Chaos of darknefs, ff 
 
 wherein they are buried, to bend their Inclinations, te oi 
 
 foften their hard and inflexible Hearts, and civilize t£ ? 
 
 them, and make them capable of thofe Laws which 
 right Reafon fuggeds ; and fo fubmit themfelves to 1 
 that which Religion preferibes. ' 
 
 This is the Foundation of a true Apodlelhip, in re- M 
 
 fpecl of the Natives of Canada , and all our great ^ 
 
 Difcoveries twelve hundred Leagues beyond it. They 1 
 ought to have ail Moral and Theological Vertues, 
 who are defigned for fo great a work as the Conver- W 
 lion, of fo many Nations; for whofe Salvation I would 
 willingly expole my Life. But before one facrifices, to 
 and wholly devoteshimfelf to this great Million, he 
 ought to lay it down for a certain Principle, That ^ 
 
 none can be drawn efficacioufly to jefus Chrid, if the b 
 
 Father 
 
A V,yage into North America. 1 S3 
 Father of Lights do not draw him by the force of his 
 victorious Graces This his invifible Spirit breathes 
 vvliere and when he pleafes; that the moments of 
 Grace are known to God,and in the hands of the Pow¬ 
 er of the Father j and that having called all Men to 
 Faith, in the preparation of his good Will, common 
 to all, he gives them in his own time, exterior in¬ 
 terior, and fufficient Grace to obtain it: That’ the 
 work is not only of him that runs, nor him that 
 wills, but principally of him who illuminates and 
 touches the Heart. The Glory does not belong to him 
 that preaches, nor to him that plants, nor to him 
 that waters, but to him that gives the increafe. That 
 a Sacrifice of all Nature is not able to merit of right, 
 the firft Grace of Creation, which does not fall under 
 that head. That it’s in vain to endeavour to eredt a 
 Spiritual Edifice, if God do not afiill by his prepar¬ 
 ing and preventing Grace. 
 
 An humble Simplicity muftbe the foie of all their 
 Apoftolical Labours, and a profound Annihilation of 
 themfelves, and fubmifiion to the holy Will of God. 
 When their Zeal has not its effect, they muft be con¬ 
 tent to fay. We have done our part, as to whit is 
 required of our Miniftry, but we arc unprofitable 
 Servants. 
 
 I now beg of my Lord God upon my Knees, with 
 my hands lifted up to Heaven, that he would he plea- 
 fed to continue and imprint in my Heart even to death, 
 the Sentiments of Submifiion to the Will of God, and 
 my Superiors, touching the Salvation of the Souls of 
 l'o many Savages, who are in the darknefs of Igno¬ 
 rance } that I may make an intire Sacrifice of the reft 
 of my days in fo laudable an Affair, expofing my 
 Soul to all the Events of the Providence of God, liv¬ 
 ing and dying; and that I may be fo happy as to leave 
 Sentiments truly Apoftolical, full of light, capacity, 
 Vertue and Grace, of Zeal and Courage to undertake 
 
 any 
 
184 Voyage into North America. 
 
 any thing for the Convernon of Souls, to fuffer pati¬ 
 ently the gveatefl; Difficulties, and the fevereft Con- 
 tradidtions, for the accomplifhment of their Mini- 
 ftry. 
 
 1 beg of God from the bottom of my Heart, that all 
 the Miffioners of the Univerfe may with me be of the 
 number of the Veflels of Eledtion, deftinated to carry 
 the Name of our Lord to People and Barbarous Nati¬ 
 ons, to the utmoft ends of the World ; and that the 
 adorable Providence of God would be pleafed to for¬ 
 tify his Militant Church with a number of Workmen, 
 to labour in his Vineyard, to fecond the Labours of 
 all other Orders, Secular and Regular, in the new e- 
 ftablilhments of the Kingdom of Jefus Chrift. . 
 
t/iti Account of federal 2^.eu> Difcoyt^rics bt 
 
 North-America. 
 
 Of Neip-France. 
 
 M R. Joliet , who was fent by Count Front enac 
 to difcover a Way into the South-Sea, 
 brought an exa< 5 t Account of his Voy¬ 
 age, with a Map of it ; But his Cano tv being over- 
 r fet, at the Foot of the Fall of St. Louis , in fight of 
 Mont royal, his Cheft and his two Men were loft ; 
 therefore the following Account contains only 
 what he has remembred. 
 
 I fet out from the Bay of Tuans in the Latitude 
 of 42 Degrees 4 Minutes , and having travell’d 
 about 60 Leagues to the Weft ward, I found a ' Por¬ 
 tage ; and carrying our Canows over-land for half 
 a League, I embark’d with fix Men on the River 
 Mifconfing, which brought us into the Mefchafyi in the 
 Latitude of 42 Degrees and an half ■, on the 1 jth of 
 ■ • June, 1674. This Portage is but 40 Leagues from the 
 . . MiffiJJifi . This River is half a League broad its 
 Stream is gentle to the Latitude or 1 8 degrees ; 
 for a River, from the Weft-North which runs into 
 it, increafe fo much its Rapidity, that we cou’d 
 make but five Leagues a Day in our Return. The 
 Savages told us, that the Current is not half fo great 
 in Winter. The Banks of that River are covered 
 with Woods down to the Sea ; but the Cotton- 
 Trees are fo big, that I have feen fome Canows 
 made of thofe Trees, eighty Foot long, and three 
 broad, which carry thirty Men. I faw 180 of 
 thofe Wooden-Canows in one Village of the Sava- 
 
 Q ges > 
 
i86 A Hew DifcoVery of 
 
 ges, confifting of 500 Cabins. They have abun¬ 
 dance of Holly Trees, and ocher Trees, the Bark 
 whereof is White; Grapes, Apples, Plums, Chef- 
 nuts, Pomegranates, Mulberries, befides other Nuts 
 unknown to Europe ) plenty of Turky-Cocks, Par¬ 
 rots , Quails, Wild-Bulls, Stags, and Wild-Goats. 
 Thefe Sevages are affable, civil and obliging ; and 
 the firlt I met with prefen ted me with a Pipe or 
 Calumet of Peace, which is a Protection even in a 
 Fight. Their Women and old Men take care of the 
 Culture of the Ground, which is lo fertile as to af¬ 
 ford three Crops of Indian Corn ever)’ Year. They 
 have abundance of Water-Melons, Citruls, and 
 Gourds. When they have fown their Corn, they 
 go a Huntng for Wild Bulls, whofe Flefii they eat, 
 and the Skin ferves for their Coverings, having 
 drefs’d the fame with a fort of Earth, which ferves 
 alfo to dye them. They have Axes and Knives 
 from the French and Spaniards, in exchange of their 
 Beavers, and Skins of Wild Goats. Thofe who live 
 near the Sea have fome Fire-Arms. 
 
 The Mifjijfipi has few Windings and Turnings, 
 and runs diredy to the South, and having follow’d 
 its Courfe till the 33 d Degree of Latitude, I re- 
 folv’d to return home, feeing that River did not 
 difcharge it felf into Mar Vermejo , which we look’d 
 for, as alfo becaufe the Spaniards obferv’d our Moti¬ 
 ons for fix Days together. The Savages told me, 
 that the Spaniards live within thirty Leagues to the 
 Weftward. 
 
 The (aid M. yol'tet adds, That he had fet down 
 in his Journal an exad Defcription of the Iron- 
 Mines they dilcover’d, as alfo of the Quarries of 
 Marble, and Cole-Pits, and Places where they find 
 Salt-Petre, with feveral other things. He had alfo 
 obferv’d what were the ficteft Places to fecde Colo¬ 
 nies, &c. The Soil is very fertile, and produces abun- 
 dance of Grapes, which might make delicious 
 Wines. j 'jhe 
 
w 
 
 federal Countries in America.' 187 
 
 ^, eU> j S - 3 ^ich hath its Source 
 near MiJJkhganm, is the biggeft , and the molt con¬ 
 venient for a Colony, its Mouth into the Lake be¬ 
 ing very convenient for an Harbour. ‘It is deep 
 and broad , and well (lock'd with Sturgeons, and 
 other Fillies. The Stags, Bulls, Wild-Goats, Turky- 
 Cocks, and other Game, are more plentiful on 
 the Banks of the faid River, than any where elfe. 
 There are Meadows Ten or Twenty Leagues broad, 
 encompafs’d with fine Forefts.; behind which are 
 other Meadows, in which Grafs grows fix Foot 
 high. Hemp grows naturally in all that Country. 
 
 Thofe who (nail fettle themfelves there,neednotbe 
 oblig’d, as we are here , to beftow Ten Years la¬ 
 bour for felling down the Trees, and grubbing up 
 the Land, before it is fit for Corn; for the Ground 
 is ready for the Plough in that fortunate Country, 
 where they may have good Wine. Their young 
 Wild Bulls may be eafily learn’d to plough their 
 Land ; and their long curl’d Hair, or rather Wooj, 
 may ferve to make good Cloth for their wearing; 
 In Ihort, that Soil wou'd afford any thing neceflary 
 for Life, except Salt, which they might have another 
 way. 
 
 -. 
 
i88 
 
 A New Difcovery of 
 
 An Account of La Salles Voyage to the 
 (River Mitfifiipi. DireBed to Count 
 Frontenac, Governor of New-France. 
 
 IX X £ River of Niagara is Navigable for three 
 Leagues, that is, from the Fall to the Mouth 
 of the Lake Erie ; but the Stream is fo rapid, 
 that it is almoft impoffible for a Bark to fail up into 
 the Lake,without a itrong Gale,and the help of many 
 Men to hale from the Shore at the fame time. But 
 befides all this, it requires fo many other Precauti¬ 
 ons, that one cannot expeft always to fucceed. 
 
 The Mouth of the Lake Erie is full or Sa n d y 
 which make it dangerous; therefore to avoid that 
 Danger, and not venture a Ship every Voyage, it 
 will be fafer to leave it at an Anchor , in a River 
 which runs into the Lake fix Leagues from the 
 River Niagara , and is the only Harbour and An¬ 
 chorage in this Lake. ' - 
 
 There are three great Points which advance above 
 ten Leagues into it $ but being chiefly made up ot 
 Sand, they are fo low that there is great Danger 
 of running a Ship againft them before they are dil- 
 cover’d, and therefore a Pilot muft be very skutu 
 and careful to fleer uShip in this dangerous Lake, 
 Lire Streight or Canal between the t ake Erie, 
 and the Huron , is very rapid , and no lefs difficult 
 than that of Niagara , though much deeper. The 
 Streight of Mijjilikinac between the Lake Hu- 
 »w, and that of the Einwii, is attended with no leB 
 Difficulties, for the Current is commonly againft 
 the Wind. There i? no Anchorage in the Lake 
 
federal Countries in ArrteiW' i 89 
 
 Huron , nor any Harbour in that of the Illinois, up¬ 
 on the Northern , Weftern , and Southern Coaffs. 
 Tiiere are many Iflands in both Lakes, which make 
 the Navigation of that of the Illinois very perilous; 
 for there being no Harbour to run into for (belter, 
 and the Storms _ being very terrible on that Lake, 
 tts a great Providence when a Ship efcapes being 
 da fil'd in pieces againft thofe Iflands. However,fome 
 Canals and Anchorages may be difcover’d in time, 
 which will remove thofe great Difficulties, as has 
 hapncd in the Lake of Frcntenac , the Navigation 
 whereof is now eafy, whereas it was at firfl as dan¬ 
 gerous as that of the Lake Huron or Illinois. % 
 
 The Creek through which we went from die 
 Lake of the Illinois , into the Divine River , is fo 
 (hallow , and fo much expos’d to the Storms , that 
 no Ship can venture to get in, unlefs it be in a great 
 Calm. Neither is the Country between the (aid 
 Creek and the Divine River, fit for a Canal ; for 
 the Meadows between them are drown’d after any 
 great Rain, and fo a Canal will be immediately 
 fill’d up with Sands : And befides, it is impoffible to 
 dig up the Ground, beeaufe of the Water, chat 
 Country being nothing but a Morafs: But fuppofing 
 it were poffible to cut the Canal, it wou’d be how¬ 
 ever ufelefs ; for the Divine River is not navigable 
 for forty Leagues together; that is, from that Place 
 to the Village of the Illinois, except for Canows, 
 who have hardly Water enough in Summer-time. 
 Befides this Difficulty, there is a Fall near the Vil¬ 
 lage. 
 
 We have feen no Mines there , though feveral 
 Rieces of Copper are found in the Sand when the 
 River is low. There is the beft Hemp in that - 
 Country I have feen any where, though it grows 
 naturally without any culture. The Savages tell us, 
 that they have found near this Village Lome yellow 
 Metal; but that cannot be Gold, according to 
 
 O 3 their 
 
 t 
 
 
fpo A b{ew Difcover) of 
 
 their own Relation, for the O ar of Gold cannot 
 be fo fine and bright as they told us. There are 
 Coal-Pits on that River. 
 
 The Wild Bulls are grown fomewhat fcarce fince 
 the Illinois have been at War with their Neighbours, 
 for now all Parties are continually Hunting of 
 them. The Navigation is eafy from Fort Crcvuzur 
 to the Sea ; and New-Mtxico is not above twenty 
 Days Journey from the faid Fort. The Nations of 
 the Metcntonta, who live within Ten Days Journey 
 from the faid Fort, came to fee M. la Salk, and 
 brought a Horfe’s Hoof with them : They told us, 
 That the Spaniards make a cruel War upon them, 
 and that they ufe Spears more commonly than 
 Fire-Arms. One may go by Water from Fort 
 Crevecaur to the flabitation of thefe Savages. 
 
 There are no Europeans at the Mouth of the River 
 Colbert (or Mijfijfipi ); and the Monfter of which 
 U. Joliet gives fo dreadful a Defcription, is a Fancy 
 of feme Savages, and had never any Original, ft 
 is within a Days Journey and a half from Fort 
 Crevecaur ; but had M. Jcliet gone down the Rivet, 
 he might have feen a mere terrible one. That Gen¬ 
 tleman has not confider’d that the Mofopocla, of 
 whom he takes notice in his Map , were altogether 
 deitroy’d before he fet out For his Voyage. He lets 
 down aifo in his Maps feveral Nations, which are 
 nothing but Families of the Illinois^ The Trcmvoa, 
 Carcardiet, Tamarca, Koracocnitonon , Chmko, Caokia, 
 Cbopoiifca , Arncnokoa , Cankia , Ocanfa , and feveral 
 others, make up the Nation and the Village of the 
 Illinois, confining of about 400 Cabins cover'd with 
 Rudies, without any Fortifications. I have told 
 1800 fighting Men amongft them. They have Peace 
 now wipi all their Neighbours, except the Iroquefe ; 
 and it wou’d be eafy to reconcile them, were it not 
 to be fear'd that they wou’d afterwards fall upon 
 the Outtcuats, whom they mortally hate, and di- 
 
federal Countries in America. 191 
 
 fturb thereby our Commerce; fo that we muft 
 leave them as they are ; for as long as they fhall 
 have occafion for us, they will be ready to comply 
 with any thing that we can defire from them, and 
 keep in awe the Nations inhabiting to the Weft- 
 ward, who are much afraid of the Illinois. 
 
 The Banks of feven or eight Rivers, which dif- 
 charge themfelves into the MiJ/iffipi, or Colbert-River , 
 the leaft whereof runs above ;oo Leagues, are co¬ 
 ver’d with Fine Timber for Building Ships. 
 
 M. la Salle has feen fome Savages of three Nations 
 through which Ferdinand Sotto pafs’d with his Army, 
 'viz,, the Sicachia , Cafcin, and Aminoya : They told 
 him that we might go by Water from Crevecxur into 
 
 their Country. 
 
 Ic is highly neceflary to carry on this Difcovery; 
 for the'River inhabited by the Sicachia, which in all 
 likelihood is the true Cbakagctta, has its Source near 
 Carolina , and confequently very near the Habitation 
 of the Engltjh } about three hundred Leagues to the 
 Eaftward of the MijfijJipi in the French Elorida , at tne 
 foot of the Apalachin Hills: For had the Englifb no¬ 
 tice of it, they might by means of this River- irade 
 with the Illinois, Miamis , Nadouejjians, and other Sava¬ 
 ges, fpoil for ever our Commerce. 
 
 The Winter has been as hard in the Country ot 
 the Illinois as at Fort Frontenac ; for though the W ea- 
 ther was there in January as temperate as in Provence , 
 yet the River was ftill frozen on the 22d 01 March ^ 
 and therefore I conclude ’tis much the fame Climate 
 as the Country of the Iroyuifej- ' . 
 
 The Country between the Lake of the Illinois and 
 the Lake Erie , is a row of Mountains for a hundred 
 Leagues together, from whence fpring a great num¬ 
 ber of Rivers, which run to the Weltward into the 
 Lake of the Illinois, to the North into the Lake Hu¬ 
 ron, to the Eaft into the Lake Erie, and to the South 
 into the River Ohio. Their Sources are io near one 
 O4 another. 
 
19 2,' A 'Ne'fr DifcoWry of 
 
 another, that in three Days Journey I crofs’d twen¬ 
 ty two, the leaft whereof is bigger than that of Ri¬ 
 chelieu. The top of thefe Mountains are flat, and 
 full of Bogs and Moraffes, which being not frozen, 
 have prov’d an infupportable difficulty and trouble 
 in our Voyage. There are now-and-then fome 
 Plains, which I take to be very fertile ; they are co¬ 
 ver’d with Bears, Stags, Wild-Goats, Turkey-Cocks, 
 -and Wolves, who are fo fierce as hardly to be fright¬ 
 ed away by the Noife of our Guns." There is a Ri¬ 
 ver in the bottom of the Lake Erie , within Ten 
 Ten;.ties of the Canal, which may very much fhort- 
 en the way to the Illinois , it being navigable for 
 Car.ows till within two Leagues of theirs; but the 
 mod convenient of all is the River Ohio, which be¬ 
 ing navi;' iile for Barks, will fave all the trouble of 
 making a Communication between the Lake of the 
 'l.-Hnois and the tiivine River, and the great Expences 
 of making the (aid Paver navigable to FortCrevecceur. 
 
 ’One muff not fancy that the Ground in the Coun¬ 
 try of the Illinois is ready for the Plough ; fome of 
 them are too dry, others too wet; and in fhort, 
 all require fome Toil and Trouble ; but I am fure 
 they can fufficiently recompence in a little time, 
 thofe who will be at the pains to cultivate them. 
 
 The Nations through Which we have pafs’d have 
 receiv’d us very kindly , becaufe of our Calamet of 
 Peace, which is a fafe ConduA and a fufficicnt Re¬ 
 commendation amongft the Savages. 
 
 The Illinois offer’d to accompany us to the Sea, 
 in hopes, as we told them, that we would fupply 
 them that way- with European Commodities; for the 
 want of Knives, Axes, &c. makes them very offi¬ 
 cious. The young Calves may be eaftly tam’d, and 
 very ufeful for fetling our Plantations;: The Illinois 
 •have alfo mamy Slaves which may be of great ufe to us. 
 " There are as many idle Fellows amongft them as 
 
 among other Nations, and a great many more Wo- 
 
 umvMrr ..jggj men 
 
federal Countries in America; i ? } 
 
 men than Men. They marry feveral Wives, fome- 
 times nine or ten, and commonly ail Sifters if they 
 can, thinking they agree better in their Family. 
 
 1 have feen three Children who have been Bap¬ 
 tiz’d ; one call’d Peter, the other jfofeph, and the 
 third Mary, who neverthelefs are like to live as their 
 Father, who has marry’d three Sifters; for they 
 have no farther Ghriftian lnftruction; Father Al~ 
 !oucz>, who Baptiz’d them, having left that Country, 
 unlefs one would think that the Stick that Father 
 left amongft them, as a Mark that the Country be¬ 
 longs to him, has any extraordinary Virtue to pro¬ 
 mote Chriftianity. Thefe are the only Chnftians l 
 have found amongft them, which I am fure cannot 
 befuchbut in Fide Ecclefia. 
 
 Father Allouez, lives now in a Village of the Mia- 
 mis, Maskoutens, and Ochiakenens , who have quitted 
 their own Nation and Ancient Habitations, to con¬ 
 federate themfelves with the Iroquefe againft the Idt- 
 nois ; and for that purpofe they fent laft Summer 
 an Embafly into the Country of the Irdtucje, with 
 a Letter of Father Allouez,. The end of that Em¬ 
 baffy was, as I havefaid, to oblige em to u " lte 
 themfelves with them againft the Ulmots j and they 
 were negotiating the Alliance, when I arrive atte 
 Village of the hlonnontouans ; and upon notice there¬ 
 of a Woman was fent to tell them to run away, 
 for fear the Iroquefe fiiould kill them. They had 
 however no defign to do them any harm, as it ap¬ 
 pear’d afterwards; for the Iroquefe having overtaken 
 the faid Ambafladors, they were kindly usd; but 
 they enter’d upon no Bufinefs, as long as I continu 
 there I met with one of the faid Ambafladors nnce 
 that time in their own Country, who told me fuch 
 horrid things, that I cannot entirely believe them; 
 and I rather fufpetft the Miarms to be Contrivers 
 thereof. However, Father AUouez, had no fooner 
 intelligence that I was ar.tiv’^ at the Village of uc 
 
194 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 Illinois, than that they fent one Monfo, one of their 
 Chiefs, with four large Kettles, twelve Axes, and 
 twenty Knives, to perfuade the Illinois that I was 
 Brother of the Iroquefe ; that my Breath fmell’d like 
 theirs; that I eat Serpents; that I was fent to be¬ 
 tray them, and attack them one way, while the 
 Iroquefe fhould attack them by another; that I was 
 hated by all the Black-Gowns , who forfook me be- 
 caufe I defign’d to deftroy the Miamis , having ta¬ 
 ken two of them Prifoners; and, laftly, that l un- 
 derftood Phyfick enough to poyfon all the World. 
 -Their Suggeftions were fo ridiculous and fo falfe, 
 that I had no great difficulty to convince the- Illinois 
 of the Malice of my Enemies; and Monfo was in 
 great danger of lofing his Life for his pains. They 
 told him he had an Iroquefe Serpent under his 
 Tongue, meaning his Bafenefs and Malice; that his 
 Comrades who had been Ambaffadors into their 
 Country, had brought that Venom, and had breath¬ 
 ed in the Malice of the Iroejuefe in fmoaking in their 
 Calumet. I was oblig’d to intercede for him, for 
 elfe they would have murther’d him. 
 
 ’Tis certain, that their Defign is to engage Count 
 Frontenac into a War with the Iroquef ; and having 
 tri'd in vain feveral Ways to fucceed, they think 
 there is no better than to perfuade the Nation of 
 the Miamis , who are our Confederates, to fettle 
 chemfelves near the Illinoss, and make an Alliance 
 with them, infomuch that the Iroquefe cannot attack 
 one Nation, without breaking with the other, and 
 thereby oblige your Lordfliip either to forfake our 
 Allies, or declare Wars againft the Iroquefe. This 
 is not a ra(h and groundlefs Judgment j for thefe 
 Mtamss, with whom Father Allouez, lives, have kill’d 
 feveral Iroqucfe this Winter; and having cut the Fin¬ 
 gers of another, they fent him back to tell their 
 Nation that the Miamis are join’d with the Illinois 
 againft them. Perhaps that Perfidioufnefc obliges 
 
 Father 
 
federal Countries in America^ 195 
 
 Father Allouez, to quit them next Spring, as I un¬ 
 derhand he defigns to do. Hovvever, I am confi¬ 
 dent to hop the Progrefs of this Cabal, if your 
 Lordfliip comes this Year to weep for the Death of 
 the Onontake , who have been kill’d; for the Illinois 
 have promis’d me to releafe fome Slaves, and for¬ 
 bear their Excurfions againft the Iroquefe, who ha¬ 
 ving been inform’d of my Good Offices, have cx- 
 prefc’d a great Gratitude thereof. This Weeping is a 
 common Ceremony among, the Savages, when any 
 of their Warriors have been kill’d. 
 
 I do not wonder that the Iroquefe mould talk 01 
 invading our Allies; for they are every Year pro¬ 
 vok’d ; and I have feen at Miffilmaokmak , amonglt 
 (he Voutouatamits and the Miami *, the Heads of fc« 
 veral Iroquefe , whom they have kill d by Treachery, 
 as they were a Hunting laft Spring. This is come 
 to the Knowledge of the Iroquefe \ for our Allies 
 have been fb impudent as to boaft of it; and elpe- 
 cially the Toutouatamits , who dancing the Calumet at, 
 Milftlinaohnak before three Agnetz,, or Envoys ot the 
 Iroquefe, boafted of their Treachery and held in 
 their Hands feveral Heads of Hair ol Iroquefe u 
 I cannot forbear to take notice of the Diicourfe 
 I had with a Savage of the Nation of the Wol,, 
 who being convinc’d of the Truth of the Chnftian 
 Religion, and preffed by fome em¬ 
 
 brace the Catholick, and by fome Enghfh Mimfters 
 to embrace Theirs, was in great perplexity' which 
 of the two he ffiould chufe; for,, as he told me, 
 thefe Men are very unlike the Apoftles; the former 
 becaufe of their great Covetoufnefs, and the latter 
 becaufe of their being marn d. But having cbferv d 
 in the Recollells both Chaftity and the Contempt of 
 the Riches of the World, he was Baptizd by them. 
 
 I have feen in this Country abundance of Green 
 J?arrpts, bigger and finer than thofe of our Mands. 
 
 A D if- 
 
S p6 4TS{eu> DifcoVery of 
 
 jt Difco'very of fome Nett? Countries and 
 Nations in the Northern America. ©y 
 Father Marquette. 
 
 O N the 13 th of May, 1673. I embark’d with 
 M. Joliet , who was chofen to be our Di¬ 
 rector in this Undertaking, and five other 
 French-men , in two Canows made of Barks of 
 Trees, with fome Indian Corn and boil’d Flefh for 
 our Subfiftence. We had taken care to get from the 
 Savages all the Intelligence we could, concerning 
 the Countries through which we defign’d to travel, 
 and had drawn a Map of the fame, according to 
 their Relation, in which we had mark’d the Rivers, 
 and the Name of the Nations we were to meet, and 
 the Rhombs of the Wind we were to make ufe of 
 in our Journey. 
 
 The firft Nation we met with, is call’d the Na¬ 
 tion of the IVild-Oats : I went into their River to vifit 
 that People, to whom we have preach’d the Go- 
 fpel for feveral Years, and amongft whom there 
 are many good Chriftians. The IVtld-Oats , from 
 which they have got their Name, is a fort of Corn 
 which grows naturally in the (mall Rivers, the bot¬ 
 tom whereof is Owzie, as alfo in marlhy Grounds. 
 It is much like our European Oats; the Stem is knot¬ 
 ted, and grows about two Foot above the Surface 
 of t^e Water. The Corn is not bigger than ours, 
 but it is twice as long, and therefore it yields much 
 more Meal. It grows above the Water in June , 
 and the Savages gather it about September in this 
 
 manner; 
 
fever nl Countries in America. *197 
 
 manner: They go in thei r..Ca nows into thofe Ri¬ 
 vers, and as they go they (hake the Ears of the Corn 
 in their Canows, which eafily falls, if it be ripe: 
 They dry it upon the Fire ; and when it is very dry, 
 they put it into a kind of Sack made with the Skin 
 of Beads; and having made a Mole in the Ground, 
 they put their Sack therein, and tread on it till they 
 fee the Chaff is feparated from the Corn, which 
 they Winnow afterwards. They pound it in a Mor¬ 
 tar to reduce it into Meal, or elfe boil it in Water, 
 and feafon it with Greafe, which makes it near as 
 
 good as our Rice. T , , 
 
 I acquainted that Nation with the Defign I had 
 to travel farther into the Country, to difcover the 
 remoteft Nations, and teach them the My Irenes or 
 our Holy Religion; at which they were mightily 
 furpriz’d, and did their utmoft to diffwade me 
 from that Enterprize. They told me that I mould 
 meet fome Nations who fpare no Strangers, whom 
 they kill without any Provocation or Mercy; that 
 the War thofe different Nations had one with the 
 other, fhould daily expofe me to be taken by their 
 Warriors, who are perpetually abroad to furprr/e 
 theYr Enemies: That the great River eioeed- 
 ingly dangerous, and full of dreadful Mongers, 
 who 7 devour’d Men, and even the Cinows them- 
 
 felves. They added. That a Devil ftopp d the Paf- 
 fte of the faid River, and funk thofe who wereTo 
 bold as to come near the place where he flood; and, 
 
 ‘ in fliort that the Heat was fo exceflive m thofe 
 Parts, that we Ihould never be able to preferve our 
 
 ^1 return’d them 
 
 Advices • but told them I would not follow them, 
 fmee the Salvation of a great many Souls werecon- 
 
 S* Monfters, ££•*« 
 
ip8 A N?b> DifcoVery of 
 
 Informations would oblige us to ftand the more 
 upon our Guard to avoid any Surprize. And fo 
 having pray’d to God with them, and given them 
 fome inftru&ions, we parted from them, and arriv’d 
 at the Bay of Tuans, where our Fathers make a con- 
 fiderable Progrefs towards the Converfion of thofe 
 Ignorant Nations. 
 
 The Name of this Bay founds better in the Lan¬ 
 guage of the Savages than in ours; for according 
 to the Word they make ufe of, one may call it as 
 well the Salted Ray , as the Stinking Bay ; for they 
 call the Sea after the fame Name.' This oblig’d us 
 to enquire whether there were in that Country any 
 Salt Springs, as there is one among the L-oquefe ; but 
 we could find none; and therefore we think that 
 this Name was given to this Bay, becaufe of the 
 great quantity of Mud and Owze that is there, 
 from whence fuch Vapours arife, that occafion the 
 moft dreadful Thunders that ever I heard in any 
 Country. 
 
 # This Bay is about thirty Leagues long, and about 
 eight broad, that is to fay in its greateft breadth; 
 for it grows narrower, and forms a Cone at the ex¬ 
 tremity; where one may eafily obferve, that this 
 Bay has its fetled Tides juft as the Sea. This is not 
 a proper place to enquire whether the Flowing and 
 Ebbing of the Water of this Bay, may be properly 
 call’d a Tide, or whether they are occafion’d by 
 the Winds, which never, or very feldom fail to blow 
 from the fame Point upon the Moon’s afcending 
 °*J r ^°” zon i k ut this I may fay, That in the great- 
 eft Calm, the Waters in this Bay flow and ebb ac¬ 
 cording to the Motion of the Moon; though I will 
 not deny but that the Winds, which move the Wa¬ 
 ters towards the middle of the Lake, may contribute 
 to this effea-. 
 
 We left this Bay to go into a River that dif 
 .argcs it felf therein; and found its Mouth very 
 
 broad 
 
federal Countries in America. 199 
 
 broad and deep. It flows very gently; but after 
 we had advaned lome Leagues into it, we faw it 
 was interrupted by feveral Rocks and rapid Streams • 
 and fo Ihallow in fome places, that it would hardly 
 bear our Canows. The bottom is full of Flints, 
 which are as fo many Razors that cut the Canows’ 
 and made it impoffible for our Men to walk therein, 
 to make the Canows more light , .when the ffial- 
 lownefs of the Water did not permit us to row 
 away. It is full of Buftard, Ducks, and Teals, be- 
 caufe of the Wild Oats in the Mailhes thereabouts. 
 However, we conquer’d thofe Difficulties, and came 
 to an Habitation of the Miamis , Maskouttm , and 
 Kikabeux ; but before we arriv’d at the Village, I 
 had the Curiofity to tafte the Mineral Water of a 
 River near it, and found a Simple of a wonderful 
 Virtue againft the Venom of the Serpents. A Sa¬ 
 vage who knew it, had fhown it to Father Allouez ., 
 who had often occafion to try its Virtues, God ha-, 
 ving been pleafed to provide that Country with that 
 wonderful Antidote againft the Serpents, who are 
 very dangerous in thofe Parts. The Root of that 
 Simple is very hot, and taftes like Gunpowder; they 
 chew it, and. apply it to the Part of the Body ftung 
 by the Serpents; and this without any other My- 
 Jfery cures the Wound,* and the Serpents have fuch 
 an Antipathy againft the Herb, that they run away 
 from any Man who has rubb’d his Body with the 
 fame. It produces feveral Stalks about a foot high; 
 the Leaves are Somewhat long j the Flower is white, 
 and the whole looks like our Gilliflowers. I took 
 one into mow, the better to examine it. 
 
 This had been hitherto, as one may 
 
 fay, T!mU of the French , for they never 
 
 dud diet into the Country. This Vil¬ 
 
 lage, as I have intimated, confifts of three feveral 
 Nations, Tjofc Miamis , Maskoutens , and Kikabeux. 
 T1 . . ,, . me civil than the other ,f and ^better 
 
200 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 fhap’d, as well as more liberal. They wear long 
 Hair over their Ears, which looks well enough. 
 They are accounted valiant Men amongft their 
 Neighbours; but are To cunning, that they feldom 
 return from their warlike Expeditions without 
 Booty. They are apt to learn any thing, for they 
 love to hear the Europeans Talk; and Father AHouez, 
 told me, That they had fuch a violent delire to be 
 inftru&ed , that they often difturb’d his Reft to ask 
 him Queftions about what he had told them the 
 Day before. The Maskoutens and Kikabeux are more 
 Clownilh ; and there is as much difference between 
 the Miamis and them , as between our Boors and 
 Citizens. As the Rind of Birch-Trees are fcarce in 
 this -Country, they are oblig’d to make their Ca¬ 
 bins with Rulhes, which ferve as well for covering 
 the fame, as for Walls. It muft be own’d that 
 thefe Cabins are very convenient; for they take 
 them down when they pleafe, and carry them by 
 (mail Parcels where-ever they will, without any trou¬ 
 ble. 
 
 When I arriv’d there, I was very glad to fee a 
 great Crofs let up in the middle of the Village, 
 adorn’d with feveral White Skins, Red Girdles, 
 Bows and Arrows, which that good People had 
 offer’d to the Great Manitou , to return him their 
 Thanks for the care he had taken of them during 
 the Winter, and that he had granted them a profpe- 
 rous Hunting. Manitou is the Name they give in ge¬ 
 neral to all Spirits whom they think to be above the 
 Nature of Man. 
 
 Their Village is fituated on a Hill, from whence 
 one may difcover the largeft Meadows in the World, 
 adorn’d at certain diftance with Groves and Woods. 
 The Soil is very fertile, and produces a great quan¬ 
 tity of Indian Corn. They preferve alfo Plums and 
 Grapes. v ' - . ; v 
 
federal Countries in America. 20 £ 
 
 As foon as we were arriv’d, M. Joliet and I defir’d 
 the Eldeft of the Savages to meet us, and I told 
 them that M. Joliet was fent by the Governor of 
 Canada to difcover new Countries, and I from God 
 Almighty to teach them the Knowledge of their 
 Creator, who being abfolute Matter of ail his Crea¬ 
 tures, will have all Nations to know him; and that 
 therefore to comply with his Will, I did not value 
 my Life, which I freely expos’d to all manner of 
 Dangers; Concluding, That we wanted two Guides 
 to put us in our Way, which we defir’d them to 
 grant us. We enforc’d our Compliment with fome 
 Prefents that were kindly accepted by the Savages; 
 who anfwer’d us likewife with a Prefent , viz,, a 
 Mat, which was our Bed during our Voyage. They 
 granted us alfo two Guides, to accompany us for 
 tome Days. The next Day, being the 10th of June , 
 the two Miamis who were to conduit us, imbark’d 
 with us in fight of all the Inhabitants of the Village, 
 who could not admire enough that feven Europeans 
 fhould venture upon fo dangerous and extraordinary 
 an Undertaking. 
 
 We were inform’d, that within three Leagues of 
 the Maskoutens, there was a River which 
 runs into the * Mijfijjipi, and that we * Htwp'm calls 
 were to go direitly to the Weft-South- it Utftbajrp. 
 Weft, to find it; but there are fo many . 
 
 Moraffes and Lakes between it, that had it not been 
 for our Guide, we had never been able to find it; 
 and the River upon which we row’d, to find the 
 Place we were to Land and carry our Canow into 
 the other, was fo full of Wild-Oats, that it lookt ra¬ 
 ther like a Corn-Field than a River; ihfomuch that 
 we cou’d hardly difcover its Channel. As the Mta- 
 mis frequented this Place, they conduced us to 
 the ufual Place of Portage, and help'd us to carry 
 our Canow over-land into the other River, ddtant 
 from the former about two Miles and a halt; from 
 
 P whence 
 
2 oi A Hew DifcoVerj of 
 
 whence they return’d home, leaving us in an un¬ 
 known Country, having nothing to rely upon but 
 the Divine Providence. We made a Solemn Vow in 
 this place, and refolv’d to ufe fome particular Pray¬ 
 ers every Day to the BlelTed Virgin, to recommend 
 our Peri’ons and Enterprize to her Protection, and 
 afterwards embark’d. 
 
 This River is call’d Mefconfin: It is very broad 1 , 
 but the Sands make its Navigation difficult; and this 
 Pifficulty is increas’d by an infinite Number of lflands 
 Cover’d with Vines. The Country through which 
 it flows is very fine; the Groves difpos’d at cer¬ 
 tain Diftances id the Meadows,-make a noble Pro- 
 fpect; and the Fruit of the Trees difcovers the Fer¬ 
 tility of the Soil. Thofe Groves are full of Wallnut- 
 Trees, as alfo of Oaks, and of another fort of Trees 
 unknown to us in Europe , the Boughs whereof are 
 arm’d with long Thorns. We faw no other Game 
 in thefe Meadows but abundance of Wild-Goats, 
 and Wild-Bulls. Within thirty Leagues of this 
 Place where we embark’d, we found fome Iron- 
 Mines; and one of our Company, who had for¬ 
 merly feen fuch Mines, told us that thefe were ex¬ 
 traordinary good: They are not above three Foot 
 deep, and are fituate near a Row of Rocks, the 
 Foot whereof is cover’d with fine Woods. After 
 having row’d ten Leagues further, that is, forty 
 Leagues in all from die Place where we embark’d, v 
 we came into the Alijfiffipi on the 17th of Jure. 
 The Mouth of the Mejetmfin is about forty two De¬ 
 grees and a half of Latitude. The Satisfaction I had 
 to fee this famous River, is almoft incredible; for 
 though the Savages had often fpoken of it to our 
 Men, none of them had been fo bold as to venture , 
 lb far in this unknown Country. This oblig’d me 
 to confider this River with a greater Attention than 
 otherwife I wou’d have done, as the Reader will 
 perceive in perufing the following Account. 
 
federal Countries in America. 20; 
 
 The Miffifipi is form’d, by feveral Lakes in the 
 North-Councry, from whence it runs to the South. 
 Its Channel is pretty narrow at the Mouth of the 
 Mejconfm , being (heighten'd by a Row of high 
 Mountains on the other fide 5 but however its 
 Stream is very gentle, becaufe of it£ depth; for we 
 found there nineteen Fathom Water. But a little 
 below that Place, it enlarges it (elf, and is about 
 three quarters of a League broad. Its Banks are 
 very fine; but three Days after, we difeover’d a 
 much better Country. The Trees are higher, arid 
 the I (lands fo beautiful, that I verily believe there 
 is nothing like it in the. World. The Meadows are 
 cover’d wich an infinite number of Wild-Goats and 
 Bulls, and the River with Bullards and Swans 
 without Wings, becaufe their Feathers fall in this 
 Country about that time. We law extraordinary 
 Fillies, and one of them was fo big, that our Ca- 
 now was like to be broke into Pieces, becaufe it 
 run again!! it. We faw alfo a very hidepus Sea- 
 Monfter; his Head was like that of a Tyger; buc 
 his Nofe was fpmewhac (harper, and like a Wild¬ 
 cat ; his Beard was long, his Ears (lood upright, 
 the Colour of his Head being Grey , and the 
 Neck Black. He look’d upon us for fome time; 
 but as we came near him, our Oars frighted him 
 away : this is the only one we ,faw. We caught 
 abundance of Sturgeons, and another fort of tub 
 fomewhat like our Trouts, except that their Eyes 
 and Nofe are much letter, and that they have 
 near the Nole a Bone like a Woman’s Busk, three 
 Inches broad , and a Foot and a half long , the 
 End wherof is flat and very broad , mfomudi 
 that when they leap out of the Water, the Weight 
 of that Bone makes them fall backwards. We *aw 
 alfo abundance of Turky^Cocks on the Banks of 
 
 the River. 
 
1C4 A New Vifcoyery of 
 
 The Pifikious, which we call Wild-Bulls , are not 
 much unlike ours; they are not altogether fo long, 
 but twice as big t We fhot one of them y and 
 thirteen Men had much ado to drag him from the 
 Place where he fell." Their Head is of a prodi¬ 
 gious bignefs, their Forehead broad and flat, and 
 their Horns ( between which there is at lead a 
 Foot and a half diftance) are all black, and much 
 longer than thofe of our European Cattle. They 
 have a Bump on the Back ; and their Head, Bread, 
 and part of the Shoulders, are cover'd with long 
 Hair. They have in the middle of their Forehead 
 an ugly Tuff of long Hair, vvhich falling down 
 over their Eyes, blinds them in a manner, and 
 makes them look dreadful. The red of the Body 
 is cover'd with curl’d Hair, or rather Wooll, like 
 our Sheep , but much thicker and ruffer. Their 
 Hair falls in Summer-time, and then their Skin is 
 as foft as Velvet, nothing remaining but a kind of 
 fhort Down. The Savages make ufe of their 
 Skins for Gowns, which they paint with feveral 
 Colours. Their Flefii and Fat is excellent, and the 
 bed Didi of the Savages, who deflroy abundance 
 of them, though they are very fierce and dange¬ 
 rous; and if they can but take a Man with'their 
 Horns, they tofs him up, and then tread upon 
 him. The Savages hide themfelves when they have 
 ihot at them, for elfe they fhou’d be in great dan¬ 
 ger of their Lives, thofe Beads being fiercer when 
 wounded ; they follow them at certain didances, till 
 they have loft fo much Blood as to be unable to do 
 them any hurt, or to defend themfelves. They 
 Graze upon the Banks of the River; and I nave 
 fe©n above four hundred together. 
 
 We continu'd to fall down the River, having 
 feen nothing for above a hundred Leagues, but 
 beads and Birds; however, we were always upon 
 cur Guard, and efpecially during the Night, for 
 
 fear 
 
federal Countries in America^ ioj 
 
 Fear of any Surprize. We landed in the Evening 
 to drefs our Supper, and made but a little Fire, and 
 then left the Shore, calling an Anchor near the 
 middle of the River, where we lay, as the fafeft 
 Place, and yet one of us watch’d always by turns. 
 On the 25-th of June we went a-fhore, arid found 
 fome frefh Traces of Men upon the Sand, and then 
 found a Path which led into a Meadow. We call'd 
 our Men together , and it was refolv’d that our 
 Men fhou’d continue in the Canows, while 
 M. Joliet and I Ihou’d follow that Path, and en¬ 
 deavour to find the Habitation of the Savages. This 
 Undertaking was very bold, yet relying upon God 
 Almighty, we went on, and within ten Leagues 
 ' from thence, difcover’d a Village on the Banks of 
 a River, and two other Villages on a Hill within 
 half a League from the former. Having again 
 implor’d God’s Protection, we advanc’d to near 
 to the Savages, that we coud hear them talk, and 
 therefore thought it was time to give them no¬ 
 tice of our Arrival, which we did with a loud 
 Cry, and then flopp’d. The Savages.immediately 
 came out of their Cabins, and feeing but two 
 Men, they were not frighted, and efpecially e- 
 caufe we had acquainted them by our Cry, with 
 our Approach j therefore they fent four of their 
 Old Men to talk to us, and fee who we were, 
 and what Bufinefs we came upon. They carnd 
 two Pipes adorn’d with Feathers of federal Co- 
 lours, which they prefented to the Sun, witho 
 foeakins a Word. They march d fo (lowly , that 
 we began to be impatient; and when th «?' 
 
 therefore ifpoke to them, and atk’d them who they 
 The/anfwefd. That they were i-j, 
 
2 0 6 A Tfcw DiJcoyery of 
 
 preferred us their Pipe to fmogk, defiring us alfo 
 to walk to their Habitations. Thofe Pipes are 
 call'd both by the Savages and Eurir/eanf, Calumets j 
 and therefore I mall make ufe of their Word for 
 the future, having ofcen occafion to mention thefe 
 Pipes. 
 
 They conduced us to a Cabin , where an Old 
 Man waited for us, in a very extraordinary Pofture, 
 which, as I underffand fince,. is the ufual Cere¬ 
 mony they ufe for the Reception of Strangers. 
 This Man flood before the Cabin, having both his 
 Hands lifted up to Heaven, oppofite to the Sun, 
 iniomuch that it darted its Rays through his Fin¬ 
 gers, upon his Face ; and when we came near him, 
 he told us. Whet a fair Day this is (ince thou comefl to 
 vift us J All our V topic wait for thee, and thou fhalt 
 ewer our Cabin in Peace . Having repeated the Com¬ 
 pliment to M. Joliet , he conduced us into his 
 Cabin, where abundance of People croweded to 
 fee us, keeping however a great Silence, that we 
 heard nothing a great while, but now and then 
 thefe Words, Ton have done in ell, Brothers J to come 
 and fee us. 
 
 As focn as we fat down, they prefented us,' ac¬ 
 cording to Cuftoro, their Calumet, which one muff 
 needs accept, for elfe he fhou’d be lookt upon as 
 an open Enemy, or a meer Brute j however, it is 
 not neceffary to fmoak; and provided one puts it 
 to his Mouth, it is enough. While the Old Man 
 fmoak d in our Cabin to entertain us, the Great 
 Captain of the Illinois fent us word to come to his 
 Village, where he defign’d to confer with us; and 
 accordingly we went to him, being attended by 
 aJ the Inhabitants of this Village, who having 
 n .^ ve L r f een any Europeans before, accompani’d us 
 an the Way. We met that Captain at the Door 
 
 11 r P^ in j in the middle of Ten Old Men; 
 all of them were ftanding, and each had his Calu- 
 
federal Countries in America. 107 
 
 p.et towards the Sun. He made us a fhort Speech, 
 to congratulate our happy Arrival in that Coun¬ 
 try ; and prefented us his Calumet , wherein we 
 were oblig’d to fmoak before we went into his 
 Cabin. 
 
 This Ceremony being ovfcr, he conduced us, 
 and delir’d us to fit down upon a Mat, and the Old 
 Men of that Nation being ‘prefent , I thought fit 
 to acquaint them with the Subject of our V oyage, 
 an A therefore I told them, 1. That we defign’d to 
 vifit all Nations that were on that River, down to 
 the Sea. 2. That God Almighty , their Creator , 
 took pity ofl them; and had fent me to bring tneni 
 to the Knowledge of his Being, and therefore ex¬ 
 pected a full Submiffion from them. 5. That the 
 Great '■Captain of the French had commanded me 
 to tell them, that he had fubdu’d the Iroqueft, and 
 wou’d have every Body to live in Peace. 4. W e 
 defir’d them to tell us whatever they knew con¬ 
 cerning the Nations vtfe were to meet along the 
 River. We enforc’d every Point of our Speech 
 with a Prefent, and then fate down. The Cap¬ 
 tain of the Illinois anfwer’d, That he was very glad 
 " hear of the great Actions of our Captain , 
 meaning the Governor of Canada, and delird us 
 
 tig 
 
 “vS ; of Which I (hall give an Account m ano- 
 withGroafct The Mato of Ccmhomcs kold;n| 
 
208 A We'd? Dlfco'very of 
 
 a kind of Spoon-full of that Sagamittee , put fome 
 thrice into my Mouth , and then did the like 
 to M. Joliet. They brought for a Second Courfe, 
 three Fi/hes in a Diih, whereof he took a Piece 
 and having took out the Bones, and blown up¬ 
 on it to cool it, he put it iijto my Mouth, juft 
 as a Bird feeds his young ones.” The Third Service 
 was a huge Dog, whom they kill’d on purpofe; 
 but understanding that we eat no fuch Creatures • 
 they brought a Piece of Beef, and ferv’d us as be-* 
 fore. 
 
 As foon as we had done, we went 0 to vifit the 
 Village, which confifts of near three hundred Ca¬ 
 bins , being attended by an Officer, to oblige the 
 Savages to make room, and not crowd upon us. 
 They prefented us with Girdles and Garters , and 
 fome other Works made of the Hair of Bears and 
 Bulls. We lay in the Cabin of the Captain, and the 
 next Day took our Leave of him, promifing to re¬ 
 turn in Four Moons. They conduced us as far as 
 our Canows, with near eight hundred Perfons, who 
 exprefs’d an extraordinary Joy for our kind Vifit* as 
 they call’d it. 
 
 It will not be improper to relate here what I 
 pbferv’d of the Cuftom and Manners of this Peo¬ 
 ple, which .are very different from what is pra¬ 
 is'd among the other Nations of the Northtrn- 
 America. 
 
 k The Word tiliwu in their Language fignifies Afe», 
 as if they did look upon the other Savages as Beafts; 
 and truly it muft be. confefs’d that they are not al-r 
 together in the Wrong, for they have more Huma¬ 
 nity than all the other Nations that I have (een in 
 America. The ftiort time I remain’d with them, did 
 not permit me to inform my feif, as much as I de- 
 iird, gf their Cuuoms and Manners: but here is 
 jyhat I was able to oblervej They are divided into 
 ?€\?ral Villages, whereof fome are very remote 
 
federal Countries in America . 1 10? 
 
 from thofe that I havefeen. They call them Verouarca ; 
 but as they live fo far one from the other, their 
 Language is alfo very different. However , it is a 
 Dialed of the Algonquin, ahd therefore we were 
 able to underftand what they faid, and to convcrfe 
 with them. They are good-natur’d Men, tradable 
 and eafy : They keep feveral Wives, and yet they 
 are exceedingly jealous: They obferve with great 
 Care their Behaviour ; and if they find them in any 
 Fault as to their Chaftity , they cut off their Nofes 
 and Ears; and I faw feveral who carry’d upon 
 their Faces the Marks of their Infidelity. The Illi¬ 
 nois are very well fhap’d, and very dextrous : They 
 are good Marks-men with their Arrows and fmall 
 Guns, with which they are fupply’d by the Savages 
 that have Commerce with the Europeans. This 
 makes them formidable to the other Nations inhabi¬ 
 ting to the Weftward, who have no Fire-Arms. 
 The Illinois knowing how much they are frighted 
 at the Noife of their Guns, make Excurfions very 
 far to the Weftward, and bring Slaves from thence, 
 which they barter with other Nations for the Com¬ 
 modities they want. Thofe Nations are altogether 
 ignorant of Iron Tools £ and theii K.nives, Axes, 
 and other Inftruments, are made of Flints, and other 
 
 fharp Stones. . 
 
 When the Illinois go upon any Expedition, the 
 whole Village muft have notice of it; and therefore 
 they ufe to make an Out-cry at the Door of their 
 Huts the Evening before they go, and the Morning 
 they are to fet out. Their Captains are diftinguifh’d 
 from the Soldiers by Red Scarfs, made with the 
 Hair of Bears or Wild Bulls, that are curioufly 
 wrought. They have abundance of Game j and 
 their Soil is fo fertile, that their Indian Corn never 
 fails and therefore they never labour under Famine. 
 Thev fow Beans and Melons, which are excellent, 
 and efpedally thofe whofe Seed is Red. They 
 
ll0 A New Difcowry of 
 
 greatly efteem their Citruls, though they are none 
 of the bed. They dry them up, and keep them 
 till the Winter and Spring. Their Cabins are very 
 large ; they are made, cover’d , and pav’d with 
 Mats of MarL'h-Rufhes. Their Diihes are of Wood ; 
 but their Spoons are made of the Bones of the 
 Skull of Wild-Oxen, which they cut fo as to 
 make-them very convenient to eat their Sagamittce. 
 They have Phyficians amongft them , towards 
 whom they are very liberal when they are 
 lick, thinking that the Operation of the Remedies 
 they take , is proportionable to the Prefents 
 •} they make unto thofe who have prefcrib’d them. 
 They haye no other Clothes but Skins of Beads,which 
 ferve to cover their Women ; for the Men go mod 
 of the Year dark-naked. I don’t know by vvhaf 
 Superdition fome of the Illinois and NaJouefflans wear 
 Womens Apparel. When they have taken the fame, 
 which they do in their Youth, they never leave it 
 od*; and certainly there mud be fome Myftery in 
 this Matter, for they never Marry, and work in the 
 Cabins with Women, which other Men think be¬ 
 low them to do. They may go however to their 
 Wars, but they mud ufe only a Club, and not Rows 
 and Arrows, which are fit, as they lay, for Men 
 alone. They aflid at all the Superditions of their 
 Jnglers, and their folemn Dances in honour of the 
 Calumet, in which they may fing, but it is not lavv- 
 ful for them to dance. They are call d to their 
 Councils, and nothing is determin d without their 
 Advice ; for, becaufe of their extraordinary way 
 of Living, they are look’d upon as Manitom, or at 
 _ lead for great and incomparable Genius’s. 
 
 I mud {peak here of the Calumet, the mod my¬ 
 sterious thing in the World. The Scepters of our 
 Kings are not fo much refpedted ; for the Savages 
 have fuch a Deference for this Pipe, that one may 
 call it, The God of Peace and l Far, and the Arbiter tf 
 
211 
 
 federal Countries in America^ 
 
 Life and Death. One, with this Calumet , may ven¬ 
 ture .amongft his Enemies, and in the hotteft En¬ 
 gagement they lay down their Arms before this Sa¬ 
 cred Pipe. The Illinois prefented me with one of 
 them , which was very ufeful to us in our Voyage. 
 Their Calumet of Peace is different from the Calumet 
 of War ; They make ufe of the former to feal their 
 Alliances and Treaties, to travel with fafety, and 
 receive Strangers; and the other is to proclaim 
 
 War. ' ' 
 
 It is made of a Red Stone like our Marble ; the 
 Head is like our common Tobacco-Pipes, but lar¬ 
 ger ; and it is fixt to a hollow Reed, to hold it for 
 lmoaking. They adorn it with fine Feathers of fe- 
 veral Colours; and they call it, 7he Calumet of the 
 Sun , to whom they prefent it, efpecially when they 
 want fair Weather or Rain, thinking that that Pla¬ 
 net can have no lefs refpe<ft for it than Men have, 
 and therefore that they fhall obtain their Defires.. 
 They dare not wafh themfelves in Rivers in the be¬ 
 ginning of the Summer, or tafte the new Fruit of 
 Trees, before they have danc’d the Calumet , which 
 they do in the following manner : 
 
 This Dance of the Calumet is a folemn Ceremo¬ 
 ny amongft the Savages, which they perform upon 
 important Occafions, as to confirm an Alliance, or 
 make Peace with their Neighbours. They ufe it alfo 
 to entertain any Nation that comes tovifit them;and 
 in this Cafe we may confider it as their Balls. Ihey 
 perform it in Winter-time in their Cabins,and in the 
 open Field in the Summer. They chufe for that 
 purpofe a fet Place among Trees, to flielter.them- 
 felves apainft the Heat of the Sun, and lay in the 
 middle a large Matt, as a Carpet, to lay upon the 
 God of the Chief of the Company, who gave the 
 Ball ■ for every one has his peculiar God , whom 
 :L V call Manitoa. It is fometime a Stone, a Bird, 
 
 a Serpent, or any thing elfe that they dream of in 
 / * the 
 
til A ?S(ett> DifcoVery of 
 
 their Sleep; for they think this Manitoa will fup- 
 ply their Wants, by Fifhing, Hunting, and other 
 Enterprizes. To the Right of their Manitoa they 
 place the Calumet , their Great Deity, making round 
 about it a kind of Trophy with their Arms, 
 'Viz,, their Clubs, Axes, Bows, Quivers, and Ar- 
 
 °Things being thus difpos’d , and the Hour of 
 Dancing coming on , thofe who are to fing, take 
 the molt Honourable Seats under the Shadow of the 
 Trees, or the Green Arbours they make in cafe the 
 Trees be not thick enough to fliadow them. They 
 chufe for this Service the belt Wits amongft them, 
 either Men or Women. Every Body fits down af¬ 
 terwards, round about, as they come, havipg ftrft 
 of all faluted the Manitoa , which they do in blow¬ 
 ing the Smoak of their Tobacco upon it, which is 
 as much as offering to it Frankincenfe.- Every Bo¬ 
 dy, one after another, takes the Calumet , and hold¬ 
 ing it with his two Hands, dances with it, follow¬ 
 ing the Cadence of the Songs. This PreluJmm be¬ 
 ing over, he who is to begin the Dance, appears in 
 the middle of the Affembly , and having taken the 
 Calumet , prefents it to the Sun, as if he wou’d in¬ 
 vite him to fmoke. Then he moves it into an in¬ 
 finite number of Poftures, fometimes laying it neat 
 the Ground, then ftretching its \Vings, as if hewou d 
 make it fly, and then prefents it to the Spe&atois, 
 who fmoke with it one after another, dancing all 
 the while. This is the firft Scene of this famous 
 Ball. 
 
 The Second is a Fight, with Vocal and Inflru- 
 mental Mufick ; for they have a kind of Drum, 
 which agrees pretty well with the Voices. The 
 Perfon who dances with the Calumet } gives a Sig¬ 
 nal to one of their Warriours, who takes a Bow 
 and Arrows, with an Ax, from the Trophy alrea- 
 
federal Countries in America, 21} 
 
 dy mention’d, and fights the other, who defends 
 himfetf with the Calumet alone, both of them dan¬ 
 cing all the while. The Fight being over, he who 
 holds the Calumet , makes a Speech, wherein he 
 gives an Account of the Battels he has fought, and 
 the Prifoners he has taken , and then receives a 
 Gown , or any other Prefent, from the Chief of 
 the Ball. He gives then the Calumet to another, 
 who having afted his Part, gives it to another, and 
 fo of all others, till the Calumet returns to the Cap¬ 
 tain, who prefents it to the Nation invited unto that 
 Feaft, as a Mark of their Friendrtup , and a Con¬ 
 firmation of their Alliance. I can’t pretend to be 
 fo much Matter of their Language as to judge of 
 their Songs, but methinks they are very witty. . 
 
 We parted from the Illinois towards the middle of 
 June, about Three a-clock, and fell down the Ri¬ 
 ver, looking for another call d Vakitancni , whicn 
 runs from" the North-Weft into the Miffiffifi , of 
 which I {hall fpcak anon. As we follow d the 
 Banks, I obferv’d on a Rock a Simple, which I 
 ta*ke to be very extraordinary. Its Root is like 
 fmall Turnips link’d together by fome Fibres of 
 the fame Root, which taftes like Carrots. From 
 that Root fprings a Leai as large as one s Hand, 
 and about an Inch thick, with fome Spots in the 
 middle: from whence fpring alfo fome other Leaves, 
 each of them bearing five or fix yellow Flowers, 
 
 like little Bells. , , 
 
 We found abundance of Mulberries as good and 
 as big as ours; and another Fruit which we took 
 at firtt for Olives, but it taftes like Orange. We 
 found another Fruit as big as an Egg ; and having 
 cut it into two Pieces, we found the infide was di¬ 
 vided into fixteen, eighteen , and twenty fmall 
 Cells or Holes, and in each of them a Fruit like 
 our Almonds, which is very fweet, though thelree 
 ftinks: Its Leaves are like our Walnut-Trees. We 
 
2 , 4 A Hew DifcoVery of 
 
 faw alfo in the Meadows a Fruit like our Filbirds: 
 The Tree which bears it has its Leaves much broader 
 than ours; and at the End of the Branches there is a 
 kind of a Purfe like a Turnbok , in which the Filbirds 
 are lock’d up. 
 
 Along the Rocks I have mention d, we tound 
 one very high and fteep, and faw two Monfters 
 painted upon it, which are fo hideous, tjiat we 
 were frighted at the firft Sight, and the boldett 
 Savages dare not fix their Eyes upon them. 
 They are drawn as big as a Calf, with t\yo Horns 
 like a Wild-Goat > Their Looks are terrible, 
 though their Face has fomething of Human Fi¬ 
 gure in it : Their Eyes are Red, their Beard is 
 like that of a Tyger, and their Body is cover d 
 with Scales. Their Tail is fo long that it goes 
 o’er their Heads, and then turns between their 
 Fore-Legs under the Belly, ending like a Filh- 
 Tail. There are but three Colours, Red, 
 Green*, • and Black ; but thofe Monfters are lo well 
 drawn , that I cannot believe that the Savages did 
 it; and the Rock whereon they are painted is lo 
 fteep, that it is a Wonder to me how it was pollible 
 to draw thofe Figures: But to know to what purpoie 
 they were made , is as great a Myftery. hatever 
 it be, our beft Painters wou’d hardly do. better. 
 
 As we fell down the River, following the gen¬ 
 tle Stream of the Waters, and difcourfing con¬ 
 cerning thofe Monfters, we heard a great Nolle 
 of Waters , and law feveral Pieces of Timber, 
 and fmall floating Iflands, which were hudled down 
 the River Tekitanom. The Waters of this River 
 are fo muddy, becaule of the violence of its Stream, 
 that it is impollible to drink of it , and they 
 fpoil the Clearnefs of the Mijjiffipt, and make ns 
 Navigation very dangerous in this Place. This Ri¬ 
 ver runs from the North-Weft ; and I hope to dil- 
 cover, in following its Channel towards its Source, 
 
 ~ fome 
 
federal Countries in America. * 15 
 
 fome other River that difcharges it felf into the 
 Mar Marvejo , or the Caliphmman-Gulph. The Sa¬ 
 vages told me, That about fix: Days Journey 
 from its Mouth , there is a Meadow of thirty 
 Leagues broad , at the end whereof, direitly to 
 the North-Weft, is a fmall River, which is a l- 
 moft navigable for Canows , and runs to the South- 
 Weft into a Lake, from which fprings a deep 
 River, which runs diredly Weftward into the Sea, 
 which certainly muft be the Mar Verm(jo • and 
 I hope J (hall have, one time or other, the op¬ 
 portunity to undertake that Difcovery, to inftruft 
 thofe poor Nations who have been fo long igno¬ 
 rant of their Creator. But leaving this Digreflt- 
 on, I return to the Mifjtjfftpi. ■ ■ < 
 
 About 20 Leagves lower than the Tekitanoni, 
 we met another River call’d Ouabomkigou , which 
 runs into the M.ffifjipi , in the Latitude of 36 
 degreesbut before we arriv’d there, we pafs’d 
 through a molt formidable Place to the Stages, 
 who believe that a Manitoa , or Devil, rendes in 
 that Place, to deftroy fuch who are fo bold as to 
 come near ir. They told us dreadful Stories t6 
 deter us from our Undertaking ; but this terrible 
 Mabitoa proves nothing but fome Rocks in a turn¬ 
 ing of the River, 'about thirty foot high, againft 
 whom the Stream runs with a great violence ; 
 and being beaten back by the Rocks and Ifland 
 near it, the Waters make a great noife, and flow 
 with a great rapidity through a narrow Canal, 
 Which is certainly very dangerous to unskilful 
 Canow-men. This River Onabouskigou comes from 
 the Esftvfa'rd ; the Chuoanous inhabit its Banks, and 
 are v 3 r umerOus, that I have been inform’d there are 
 thi. :: Villages of that Nation fituated on this 
 
 PJvei. This People is much infefted by the Iro- 
 U. lake A cruel War upon them with¬ 
 
 out anv provocation , but only becaufe they are 
 «.ii, a poor 
 
21 6 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 a poor harmlefs Nation, unacquainted with any 
 Arms. They take them without any refiftance, 
 and carry them into Slavery. 4 • 
 
 A little above the Mouth of the River, we faw 
 fome Downs, wherein our Men difcover’d a good 
 Iron-Mine : They faw feveral Veins of it, and a 
 Lay of about a foot thick. There is alfo a great 
 quantity of it adhering to the Flints, fome of 
 which they brought into our Canow. There is 
 alfo a kind of fat Earth of three different Co¬ 
 lours, viz*. Purple, Violet, and Red, which, turns 
 the Water into a deep Blood-colour. We found 
 alfo a red Sand very heavy : I put fome upon my 
 Oar, which immediately became red; and the Wa¬ 
 ters could not walh it away for a Fortnight toge¬ 
 ther. We had feen no Reeds or Canes; but they 
 begin to be fo thick in this Place, that Wild Bulls 
 can hardly go through them. They grow very 
 high and big, and their Knots are crown’d with 
 feveral Leaves long and fharp, the greennefs where¬ 
 of is incomparable. 
 
 We had not been troubled hitherto with Gnats, 
 but they began to be very troublefome to us a 
 little lower in the Ouabouskigou. The Savages who 
 inhabit this Country are oblig’d to build their Huts 
 in a different manner from the other, becaufe ot 
 thofc troublefome Flies. They drive into the 
 Ground big Poles , very near one another, 
 which fupport a large Hurdle, which ferves them 
 inftead of a Floor, under which they make their 
 Fire ; and the Smoak drives away thofe Crea¬ 
 tures , who cannot abide it. They lay upon 
 that Hurdle, the Roof whereof is cover’d with 
 Skins againft the Rain, and ferves alfo to fnelter 
 them againft the Fleat of the Sun. The fame 
 Reafon oblig'd us to make a Cabin over our Ca¬ 
 now. 
 
 As 
 
federal Countries in America.' 217 
 
 As we were confidering the Country, the Banks 
 of the River being very low, we difcover'd feve- 
 ral Savages arm’d with Fire-Arms, waiting for us 
 upon the Shoar, where the Stream of the River 
 earn'd us. Our Men prepar’d themfelves to fight, 
 and it was refolv’d to let them fire firft of all • 
 and as we came near, I fpoke to them in the Lan¬ 
 guage of the Hurons, and Ihew’d my Calumet of 
 Peace ; but they did not anfwer me, which we 
 took for a Declaration of War. However , we 
 refolv’d to venture to pafs; but when they had 
 feen us at a nearer diftance, they defir’d us in a 
 friendly manner to come to their Habitations, 
 where they entertain’d us with Beef and Oil of 
 Bears, together with white Plums, as good every 
 whit as ours. Thefe Savages have Guns, Knives, 
 Axes, Shovels, Glafs-Beads, and Bottles wherein 
 they put their Gunpowder. They wear their 
 Hair long as the Iroquefe do, and their Women 
 are cover’d as they are amongft the Hurons. Thev 
 told us. That they were only within Ten Days 
 Journey of the Sea; that they bought thole 
 Commodities from Europeans who live to the Enft- 
 ward ; that thefe Europeans had Images and Beads ; 
 that they play upon Inftruments ; that fome were 
 cloath’d as I was, and that they were very kind 
 to them. However, I could find nothing in them 
 that could perfuade me that they had receiv’d 
 any Inftru&ions about our Holy Religion. I en¬ 
 deavour’d to give them a general Idea of it, and 
 presented them with fome Medals to put them 
 in mind of it. . 
 
 The account given us by the Savages was a 
 great Encouragement to us, in hopes to fee the 
 Sea in a few Days j and therefore we row’d 
 with an extraordinary vigour. The Banks of 
 the River began to be cover’d with high Trees, 
 
 Q which 
 
218 A Hew DifcoVery of 
 
 which hinder’d us from obferving the Country, 
 as we had done all along ; but we judged from 
 the bellowing of the Bulls, that the Meadows 
 are very hear. We faw forne Quails on the 
 Water-fide , and fiiot a fmall Parrot, who had 
 the half of his Head red , and the other part and 
 the Neck yellow, and the reft of the Body green. 
 We found our (elves in this Place in the Lati¬ 
 tude of 33 Degrees, fleering diredly Southerly j 
 and a little while afterwards we difcover’d a 
 Village on the River-fide call’d Michtgamea. , The 
 Savages made a great noife, and appear d in 
 Arms, dividing themfelves into three Parties, one 
 of which (food on the Shoar, while the others 
 went into their Wooden Canows, to intercept 
 our Retreat, and prevent our efcape. They were 
 arm’d with Bows and Arrows , Clubs, Axes, 
 and Bucklers. Notwithstanding the(e Preparati¬ 
 ons , we row’d diredly to the Shoar , where 
 their main Body flood; and a^ we came near, 
 two of their young Warrioiirs flung themfelves 
 into the Water to board my Canow, which 
 he would have done , had not the rapidity or 
 the Stream prevented his Defign ; fo that they 
 were forc'd to return a-fhore, having thrown 
 ,at us their Clubs, which by good fortune went 
 over our Heads. I prefented my Calumet of Peace, 
 but they were fo bufy that they could not fee : 
 However, as they advanc’d in a body to 
 (hoot at us, the Old Men difcover’d my Ca¬ 
 lumet ; whereupon they made an Out-cry, com¬ 
 manding their Youth to (top, and two of them 
 advanc’d to the Water-fide, throwing their Ar¬ 
 rows and Quivers into our Canow , as a hgn 
 of Peace, defiring us by figns to come a-fnoar, 
 which we did , though with great apprehenfi- 
 ons. I fpoke to them in fix different Langua¬ 
 ge 
 
federal Countries in America. 219 
 
 ges, of which they underftood none ; but they 
 brought an Old Man who {poke Illinois , whom 
 we told, That we defign’d to go to the Sea, 
 and made them fome fmall Prefents. They un¬ 
 derftood what I told therii ou this matter ; but 
 very little, as I fear, of what I added concern¬ 
 ing the C R E A T O R of the World. They 
 anfwer'd, That we fhould learn whatever we de¬ 
 fied ten Leagues lower, at a great Village call’d 
 Akamjca, and prefented us with their Sagomttta , and 
 l’ome Fiih. 
 
 We lay there that Night in great Fears, and 
 the next Morning embark'd again .with our In¬ 
 terpreter and ten Savages in one of their Wooden 
 Canows, and met within half a League from 
 Akantfca two large Canows full of Savages. The 
 Captain was ftanding in the firft, holding his Ca¬ 
 lumet , of which he made feveral Motions, ac¬ 
 cording to the Cuftoms of his Country. I flood 
 up likewife in my Canow with my Calumet , at 
 which they were fo pleas’d , that they met us with 
 all imaginable Demonftrations of Joy , attended 
 with Songs and Shouts. They prefented us their 
 Calumet to finoak , and fome Bread made or In¬ 
 dian Corn , and then return’d home , y bidding us 
 to follow him, which we did at fome durance. 
 They had in the mean time prepard a kind ot 
 Scaffold to receive us, adorn d with fine Mats ; 
 upon which we fat down , and the Old Men 
 and Warriours near us , the reft of the I eople 
 ftanding off. We found amongft them a young 
 Mm who fpoke Illinois much better than tne Inter¬ 
 preter we had brought with us from Mttchigama i 
 and we defir’d him to acquaint his Nation with 
 the Subject of our Voyage, as he had underftood 
 it from us. We made him fome fmall Pre¬ 
 fents , which they receive^ with great Civility, 
 
110 A New Ttifcovery of 
 
 and feem’d to admire what I told them con- 
 cerning GOD, the Creation of the World, 
 and the Providences; telling us by the Inter¬ 
 preter , That they fhould think themfelves very 
 happy/ if we would remain with them to teach 
 
 th They told us that we were within five Days 
 Journey from the' Sea ; but that they were not 
 acquainted with the Nation inhabiting the fame; 
 meaning doubtlefs the Europeans ; for their Ene¬ 
 mies hundred them from keeping any Correfport- 
 dence with them. They added, That their Axes, 
 Knives, and Glafs Beads, had been given them in 
 exchange of other Commodities, by fome Nati¬ 
 ons inhabiting to the Eaftward, and by fome II- 
 linci, , who had an Habitation to the Weftward 
 within four Days Journey of them t That the 
 Savages whom we had met with Fire-Arms, 
 were their Enemies, who hundred their Commerce 
 with the Europeans ; and that we Ihould be ex¬ 
 pos’d to great Dangers, if we did venture to 
 proceed farther, becaufe thofe Savages were conti¬ 
 nually cruifing on the River. In the mean time, 
 they brought us fome Sagamettea , with fome roaft- 
 ed Corn, and a piece of a Dog. 
 
 Thefe Savages are very courteous, and give 
 freely what they have ; but their Provifions are 
 but indifferent, becaufe they dare not leave their 
 Habitation to go a Hunting for fear of their 
 Enemies. They have Indian Corn in great plen¬ 
 ty : 9 and at all times, having three Crops every 
 Year. They roaft it, or elfe boil it in great 
 Pots of Earth, which are curioufly made. They 
 go naked , and wear their Hair very fhort, bo¬ 
 ring their Ears, which they adorn with Rings 
 of Glafs-Beads j but their Women are cover’d 
 With. SkinS, having their Hair divided into two 
 '**'"*" - -" Trelfes, 
 
federal Countries in America^ 
 
 221 
 
 Treffes , which they throw behind their Back , 
 without any other Ornament. Their Feafts are 
 without any Ceremony : They feive their Meats in 
 great Difhes, and every, one eats ^as much as he 
 pleafes. Their Language is very diiiicult, and I 
 could never pronounce any Word of it. Their 
 Cabins are made with the Barks of Trees, and, 
 are generally very long ; they lie at the two 
 ends, their Beds being about two foot higher 
 than the Floor. They keep their Corn in Pa- 
 niers made of Rulhes, or in great Gourds. They 
 have no Beavers, and all their Commodities are 
 the Skins of Wild Bulls. It never fnows in their 
 Country , and they have no other Winter than 
 fome violent Rains, which makes the only differ¬ 
 ence between Summer and Winter. They have 
 no other Fruit but Water-Melons, though their 
 Soil might produce any other, did they know 
 
 how to cultivate it. . rJ 
 
 They held a Council, wherein fome propoled 
 to murther us , becaufe of our Commodities; 
 hut their Chief oppos’d that bafe Defign , and 
 having fent for us, danc'd the Calumet in our Pre¬ 
 fence which he preferred me with, to feal our com¬ 
 mon Friend Ihip M. Joltet and I in the mean time 
 call'd our Men together, to advife whether we 
 Ihou’d proceed any further or return home from 
 thence • and having confider d that the Gulph of 
 SS’lying in the Latitude of Degrees and 
 , Minutes cou’d be but within three or four Days 
 Tourney from the Akamfca , and that therefore the 
 Kx fr.fr:-, difehars’d it felf into it, and not to the 
 Edward of the Cape of Florida , or into the 
 ss it was expe&ed, it was *cfoIv d 
 ^frn'hom, r We £ CO nhdebd « £a= the 
 
 gete'toii to our Nadon^dkl sve fall in» the 
 
212 
 
 A Tsfew T>tfcovery of 
 
 hands of the Spaniards , from whom We cou’d 
 exped no other Treatment but Death or Slave¬ 
 ry ; and therefore it was more prudent to con¬ 
 tent our (elves with this Difcovery , and make a 
 Report thereof fo thole who had fent us. So 
 that having reued another Day, we left the Vil¬ 
 lage of the Akamfca , on the 17 th of July , ha¬ 
 ving follow’d the Mijtjjipi from the Latitude of 
 42 to 34 , and preach’d the Gofpel to the ut- 
 moft of my Power, to the Nations we vifited. 
 We went up the River with great difficulty, be- 
 caufe of the Rapidity of the Stream , and left 
 it in the Latitude of 38 Degrees, and Went in¬ 
 to a River, which conduded us into the Lake 
 of the 'Illinois , which Way is much Ihorter than 
 the other, by the River Mefcoufm, through which 
 we came. 
 
 1 never faw a more pleafant Country than the 
 Banks of that River. The Meadows are cover’d 
 with Wild-Bulls, Stags, Wild-Goats j and the Ri¬ 
 vers and Lakes with Bullards, Swans, Ducks, Bea¬ 
 vers. We faw alio abundance of Parrots. Seve¬ 
 ral lmall Rivers fall into this, which is deep and 
 broad, fbr 6f Leagues, and therefore navigable al- 
 molt all the Year long. There is but a Tort age of 
 half a League into the Lake of the Illinois. We 
 found on the Banks of the faid River a Village of 
 Illinois call’d Kuilka , confiding of 74 Cabins. They 
 receiv’d us with all the Kindnefs imaginable, and 
 oblig’d me to promife that I wou’d return to in- 
 ftrud them , and live in their Country. Their 
 Captain, with mod of their Youth, accompani’d 
 us to the Lake of the Illinois , from whence we 
 return d to the Bay of Tuans ; where we arriv’d 
 towards the latter end of September , having been 
 about three Months in our Journey. 
 
 Although 
 
> federal Countries in America. ixj 
 
 Although my tedious Journey fhou’d be attend¬ 
 ed with no other Advantage than the Salvation 
 of one Soul, I fhou’d think my Pains fufficiently 
 rewarded, and I hope l may prefume fo much ; 
 for having preach’d tlje Gofpel to the Illinois of 
 Terouacca for three Days together, in our Return, 
 my Words made fuch an Impreflion upon that 
 poor People, that as we were embarking, they 
 brought to me a Dying Child, to Chriften him, 
 which I did about half an Hour before he dy’d, 
 by a fpecial Providence of God, who was pleas’d 
 to fave that innocent Creature. 
 
 r. 
 
 Frequent 
 
224 
 
 — y 
 
 A lS[ew DifcoVery of 
 
 ■ -.}i -rJmTOV^v s *vr. . yyjl'T 'r '^ i h verity 
 
 Frequ?ni%wMion having been made in the pre* 
 ceding Journal , 0/ M. du Salles j ii may 
 he expelled fame Account (hould he gi¬ 
 ven of his latter Difcover ies , the unfor» 
 tunate Succefs thereof and his own Tra* 
 gical End ; which fo difcouragd the 
 French, that they never made any further 
 Attempt . 
 
 M R. du Salles , with divers French who did 
 accompany him, fell down to the Mouth 
 of the Great River, where it difembogues, 
 it felf into the Gulf of Mexico ; but neither he nor 
 any of his Company underftanding Navigation, or 
 wanting Inftruments, fanci’d they were, in the La¬ 
 titude of 27 Degrees, whereas really it was 29; 
 and not being able to inform themfelves of its Lon¬ 
 gitude , or diftance from the moft Wefterly End of 
 the Gulf, they prefum’d they were within a few 
 Leagues of the River of Magdalen , which is 60 
 Leagues North of the River of Palms , and 120 
 from the River Panuco , as it is reprelented in Hen? 
 nefA s Chart, and on the Great Globe of Coronedi ; 
 which great Miftake was the caufe of all his Mis¬ 
 fortunes : For after his return up the River, and 
 through the Great Lakes to Canada, he embracd 
 the next Opportunity of returning by Shipping for 
 France j where he to the King and his Minifters 
 gave fuch a favourable Reprefentation of the Coun¬ 
 try, and Commodities therein contain’d, the Popp- 
 
 loufnefs 
 
federal Countries in America, iif 
 
 loufnefs of the Country, Civility of the Inhabitants, 
 far exceeding all the other Natives of America they 
 had the Knowledge of; that the King thereupon 
 order’d him a Fleet, and a very confiderable Equi¬ 
 page, viz. a Man of War carrying f^.Quns, a great 
 Fly-boat, a Patache, and a Brigantine, with things 
 convenient for eftablifhing a Colony and Traffick 
 with the Natives. This Fleet was Commanded by 
 M. Beaujeaa , an Experienc’d Sea-Captain, who was 
 Vicluall’d for a Year; and M. du Salles had under 
 his Command i jo Land-men, who were to fettle 
 in the Country. The Fleet pafs’d by Martimco and 
 Guardaloupe, where they took in frelh Provifion and 
 Water , together with divers Voluntiers; and by 
 M. du Salle' s Direre&ion, fail’d thence to the North- 
 Weft end of the Gulf, in 27 Degrees. When they 
 arriv’d there, they were in great Confulion, not 
 being able to come near the Coaft of Florida, by 
 reafon of a long Bank Reciff, Or as the French call 
 it, Ccntre-colle, which they fearch’d for fome hundred 
 Miles. It was no-where above a Musket-fhot over, 
 and every twenty or thirty Mixes there was a breach, 
 by which the Water iffu’d out of a vaft Lagune , 
 whole breadth they could not learn. They went 
 in their Ship-Boat above forty Miles, and could not 
 gain fight of the main Land or Continent. Phis 
 raeune was (hallow, in fome Places fix foot in few 
 above nine or ten; there are fcatter d up and down 
 in it divers fmall Iflands, upon one of them they 
 found above four hundred Indians, who did not in¬ 
 hibit there, but came accidentally, being upon 
 fome Expedition. They were all Archers, very pro- 
 per goodly Men; their Hurts were cor-erd wrrh 
 Skins of the wild crook-back kine, winch the 
 
 ti ■pefiiuus the Spaniards Corcebades , or Crook- 
 Sck They conversed and traffick'd very friendly 
 with the Frtnch divers Weeks, until an unhappy Ac. 
 cident made a great Breach. - 
 
ii 6 A New DifcoVery of 
 
 M. du Salles , agafoft the Opinion of the Pilots, 
 would adventure the Fly-boat through one of the 
 Breaches into the La £»» e , apprehending he had 
 found a Channel of.fotncient depth, through which 
 he might to*fie Continent: But whether the 
 Channel was jxdo (hallow, or that they miftook it, 
 the Fly-fcoat waj loftj and the Frigat drawing lit¬ 
 tle Water> elcap’d. The Indians upon the Ifland 
 lav’d fome (mall matter of the Wreck, which the 
 French would take by force from them: They offer’d 
 in exchange Skins, and fuch other Commodities as 
 they had. The French when they could get no 
 more, took two of their Pirogues , -or Large Ca¬ 
 llows ; which being abfolutely neceflary for them, 
 and without which they could not poffibly return 
 to the .main Land from whence they came, occa- 
 fion’d a ^fcirmifh, in which the French loft fifteen 
 Men, and the Indians many more. M. du Salks be¬ 
 ing aimoft diftra^ed, not knowing how to find the 
 Mouth .of the River, took the .Frigat, divers Boats 
 and, Pinpaees, together with $ hundred and fifty 
 Men, and Provisions for a Month, and crofs’d the 
 Ijigune , with a ft intention to fearch the Coaft till 
 he found the Mouth of the Great River. M. Heaujeau 
 waited ten Weeks, and heard no Tidings from 
 him, it being in the Heat of Summer. They wan¬ 
 ting Water and Provtfions, befides abundance of his 
 Men. falling Sick of Fevers and Bioody-fluxes, he 
 departed for France , without any News of M. du 
 Salle ; who after he departed from the Ships, ram¬ 
 bled fome Days in the Lagutte, and coafted the Main 
 chiefly towards the Weft; which was dire&ly con¬ 
 trary to the Courfe he fhould have taken, the great 
 River being diftant above one hundred Leagues to 
 the Eaft. But many believe M. du Salle was guilty 
 of a wilful miftake; for he perfuaded his Men, That 
 iince they could not find the River, and were come 
 to the River of St. Magdakz , befog the North- 
 
 ' Wefterly 
 
 
jcirtrai Countries in America. t27 
 
 Wefterly end of the Gulf, which was not above 
 two hundred Leagues from the rich Mines of Endebe , 
 Santa Barbara , la Par ale, and others in the Province 
 of Saceatecas , where the Spaniards are few, and not 
 Warlike, they could not fail of rich and eafy Booty. 
 This Propofition occafion’d a great Divifion amongft 
 his Men, and deadly Feuds: One part were ready 
 to comply with his Projed; others for returning to 
 their Ships; a third Party for fearching the Conti¬ 
 nent towards the Eaft, till they found the Great 
 River, and then return and Pilot the Ship thither, 
 and purfue their Inftrudions of Planting and Tra¬ 
 ding. From Words they came to Blows; many were 
 kill'd in the Scuffle, and amongft others, M. du Salle 
 very treacheroufly by one of his pretended Friends. 
 Upon his Death they divided, and took feveral 
 Courfes. They that return’d to feek the Ship, found 
 it departed, and were never heard of fince; others 
 fcatter’d, fome Eafterly, fome Wefterly, and Nor¬ 
 therly. When I receiv’d this Account, which was 
 above three Years after this ditaftrous Expedition, 
 not above Six were return’d to Canada , and amongft 
 them M. du Salle s Brother. 
 
 So that the Providence of Almighty GOD feems 
 to have referv’d this Country for the Enghjh , a Pa¬ 
 tent whereof was granted above Fifty ^ ears ago to 
 the Lords Proprietors of Carolina, who have made 
 great Difcoveries therein , feven hundred Miles 
 Wefterly from the Mountains, which feparate be¬ 
 tween it Carolina and Vngmia, and Six hundred 
 Miles from North to South, from the Gulf of 
 to the great Inland Lakes, which are fituated behind 
 Mountains of Carolina and Virginia. Befides, 
 £ vtrrAccounc of aU .he C«ft, from .he 
 Cape of Florida (o the River ^Nonhcrty 
 
 Pounds of the Spaniards on the Gulf of Mexico, to¬ 
 gether with raoft of the chief Harbours, Rivers 
 
, 1 % 
 
 2*8 A TSlew'Difco^ery, &c. 
 
 and Iflands thereunto appertaining; and are about 
 to eftablifh a very confiderableColony on forae part 
 of the Great Jfiver^ib foon as they have agreed 
 upon the Boundary, or Limits, which the Lords 
 Proprietors Carolina, who claim by a Patent pro¬ 
 cur’d long after that of Carolina. But there being 
 lpace enough for both* and the Proprietors gene¬ 
 rally inclin’d to an Amicable Conclufion, the Suc- 
 cefs of this Undertaking is impatiently expeded: 
 For confidering the Benignity of the Climate, the 
 Healthfulnefs of the Country, Fruitfulnefs of the 
 Soil, Ingenuity and Tradablenefs of the Inhabitants,. 
 Variety of Productions, if prudently manag’d, it 
 cannot, humanly fpeaking, fail of proving one of 
 the moft conftderable Colonies on the North-Conti¬ 
 nent of America , profitable to the Publick andthe 
 Undertakers. 
 
 P O S T S C R I P T. 
 
 . ' . ,V v v r , ■ • , ■ \ 
 
 I Am inform’d a large Map, or Draught, of this 
 Country is preparing, together with a very par¬ 
 ticular Account of the Natives,. their Cuftoms, Re¬ 
 ligion, Commodities, and Materials for divers forts 
 of Manufactures, wjiich are by the English procur’d 
 at great Expence from other Countries. 
 
5 * > 
 
^ ' • V T