NEW 
 
 VOYAGES 
 
 * T O 
 
 North-America. 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 An Account of the feveral Nations of chat vaft Con¬ 
 tinent ; their Cufloms, Commerce, and Way of 
 Navigation upon the Lakes and Rivers; the feve¬ 
 ral Attempts of the Englifh and French to diipoflefs 
 one another ; with the Reafons of the Mifcarriage 
 of the former; and the various Adventures be¬ 
 tween the French y and the Iroquefc Confederates of 
 England, from 1683 to 1694. 
 
 A Geographical Defcription of Canada , and a Natu¬ 
 ral Hiftory of the Country, with Remarks upon 
 their Government, and the Intereft of the Englijh 
 and French in their Commerce, 
 
 Alfoa Dialogue between the Author and a General of the 
 Savages, giving a full View of the Religion and ftrange 
 Opinions of thofe People : With an Account of the Au¬ 
 thors Retreat to Portugal and Denmaii ^ and his Remarks 
 on thofe Courts. 
 
 To which is added, 
 
 A Dictionary of the Aigonkine Language, which is generally 
 fpoke in North-America. y 
 
 Illuftrated with Twenty Three Mapps and Cutts. 
 
 Written in French 
 
 By the Baron Lahontan, Lord Lievtenant 
 of the French Colony at Placentia in New 
 foundland , now in England. 
 
 Done into Englifh. 
 
 In Two VOLUMES. 
 
 A great part of which never Printed in the Original. 
 
 LONDON: Printed for H. Bonwicke in Sr. Pants Church-yard ; 
 
 T. Goodwin, M.Wotton, B. Tooke, in Fleciflreet ; and S. Manlbip 
 in Cornhil, 1705. 
 
To His Grace 
 
 WILLIAM 
 
 Duke of Devonjhire , 
 
 Lord Steward of Her Majefiies Houf- 
 hold. Lord Lieutenant of the County 
 of Derby , Chief Juftice in Eyre of 
 all Her Majefiies Forrefis , Chafes , 
 laths , <Scc. Trent-North j One 
 of the Lords of Her Majefiies Mojt 
 Honourable Privy Council, and Knight 
 of the Moft Honourable Order of the 
 Garter. 
 
 My Lord\ 
 
 S ince I had the Honour to prefent 
 the King of Denmark, with the 
 firft part of this Book, I pre- 
 fume to make a Prefent of the Latter 
 to your Grace. In making the firft 
 Dedication, I had no other induce¬ 
 ment, than a due regard to the bene¬ 
 fits I receiv’d from His Majefiies fa¬ 
 vour 5 and the fame Motive with re¬ 
 ference to your Grace, has prompted 
 me to make this acknowledgment of 
 A 2 the 
 
The Dedication . 
 
 the undeferved Favours you kindly 
 vouchfaf’d me. 
 
 I did not dare to launch out into 
 the praife of His Vanifb Majefty, who 
 has a juft Title to all forts of Enco¬ 
 miums $ by rcafon that the little French 
 I had, has been forgot among a fort 
 of People, that take Panegyricks to 
 be Affronts. Tis with the fame view. 
 My Lord, that I decline the pleafure 
 of pubhfhing thofediftinguifhing Qua¬ 
 lities, that place Your Lordfhip at the 
 Head of the Moft Accomplifh’d Gran¬ 
 dees of the World, and theMoft Zea¬ 
 lous Patriots of their Country. 
 
 I am with all Gratitude and Veneration , 
 
 My Lord , 
 
 Tour Grace x, 
 
 Mojl Humble , and Mojl 
 
 Obedient Servant. 
 
 Lahontan. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 H Aving flatter'd my felf with the vain 
 hopes of retrieving the King of Fran¬ 
 ce’s favour , before the Declaration of 
 this War ; I was Jo far from thinking 
 to put thefe Letters , and Memoirs , to the Prejs ; 
 that Idefign'd to have committed 'em to the flames * 
 if that Monarch had done me the honour of 
 re inflating me in my former Places, with the good 
 leave of Meflieurs de Pont- 
 chartrain, * the Father and * The one Chancellor of 
 the Son. ‘Twaswitb that view ? rance ’ lhe ather 
 
 ./„ . T I ct J > Secretary of State: Both 
 
 that / neglected to put em in of 'em vafiiy rich. 
 
 Juch a drejs as might now be 
 wijh'd for , for the fatisfaction of the Reader 
 that gives himfelf the trouble to perufe 'em. 
 
 Between the fifteenth and fixteenth year of my 
 Age l went to Canada, and there took care to keep 
 up a conflant Correfpondence by Letters with an old 
 Relation , who had required oj me a Narrative of the 
 Occurrences of that Country, upon the account of the 
 yearly ajjiftance he gave me. Tis thefe very Let¬ 
 ters that make the great eft part of the firfl Vo- 
 lum. They contain an account of all that pafs'd 
 between the Englilh, the French, the Iroquefe, 
 
 A j and 
 
The Preface, 
 
 and the other Savage Nations, from the year 1683, 
 to 1694. Together with a great many curious 
 Remarks, that may he of ufe to thofe who have a- 
 ny knowledge of the Englilh or French Colonies. 
 
 The whole is writ with a great deal of Fidelity • 
 for I reprefent things juft as they are. I neither 
 . , ; _ flatter nor(pare any Perfonwhat- 
 
 lift in New-Yorkj f oever 5 ^ attribute to the * Iro* 
 Mah*k. cjuefe, the glory they have pur- 
 
 chafed on feveral occafions, tho' 
 at the fame time / hate that Rafcally People, as 
 much as Horns and Law-Suits. Notwithftanding 
 the Generation 1 have for the Clergy, I impute 
 to them all the mifchief the Iroquefe have done 
 to the French Colonies, in the courfe of a War 
 that had never been undertaken, if it had not 
 
 been for the Counfels of thefe pious Church- 
 Men. 
 
 The Reader is deftfd to take notice that the 
 I owns of New-York, are known to //><? French 
 by their old Names only, and for that reafon I 
 WJS to make ufe of the fame in my Let- 
 
 ters as well as my Mapps. They give the name 
 ; 1 cw-York to ail that Country, that reaches 
 from the Source of its River to the Mouth, that 
 "»J °, the l" an d> U P°» which there ftands a City 
 call d m the time of the Dutch Manathe, and 
 now by the Englilh, New-York. In like man- 
 
 "Z " s Albfl " y > ,hatlks tmarJs 
 
 Orange f ’ “ cM ,he F ™ch, 
 
 Farther ; I maUmthme the Reader to take 
 
 that 
 
The Preface. 
 
 that choice proceeded from the Rela- ' Ste t-ettir 
 tion I Correfponded with ; for that ?th ' 
 honed Gentleman ridiculed the Metaphorical Ha¬ 
 rangue of the * Grangula; and intreatedme not 
 to make a literal Tranflation of a Language that 
 was fo fluff'd with Fictions and Savage H\per- 
 holes. ’Tis for this reafon that all the Difcour- 
 fes and Arguments of thofe Nations , are here 
 accommodated to the European Style and way of 
 Speaking ; for having comply’d with my Friend’s 
 Requefl, [ contented my felf in keeping only a 
 Copy of the Letters I writ to him , during my 
 Pilgrimage in the Country of thefe naked philo- 
 fop hers. 
 
 ’Twill not he improper to acquaint the Reader 
 hy the bye, that thofe ivho know my faults , do as 
 little juflice to thefe people , as they do to me, 
 in alledging lam a Savage my felf and that that 
 makes me (peak fo favourably of my Fellow-Sa¬ 
 vages. Thefe Olfervators do me a great deal of 
 Honour, as long as they do not explain them/elves, 
 fo as to make me directly of the fame Char abler 
 with that which is tack’d to the word Savage hy 
 the Europeans in their way of thinking : For in 
 faying only that I am of the fame temper with the 
 Savages, they give me without defign , the Cha¬ 
 racter of the honeflefl Man in the World. 'Tis an 
 uncontejled truth, that the Nations which are not 
 debauch'd by the Neighbourhood of the Europeans, 
 are fir angers to the Meafures of Meum and Tuum, 
 and to all Laws, fudges , and Priefls. This cant 
 be call’d in queflion, fence all Travellers that 
 have vifeted thofe Countries, vouch for its truth ; 
 and a great many of different Profeffeons, have 
 
 A 4 given 
 
The Preface. 
 
 given the World repeated ajfurances that ’tis fo. 
 Now this being granted, we ought not to fcruple 
 to believe, that thefe are fuch wife and reajona- 
 lle People. / take it, a Man mufl le quite blind, 
 who do's not fee that the property of Goods (Ido 
 not fpeak of the ingroffing of Women ) is the only 
 Source of all the Diforders that perplex the Eu¬ 
 ropean Societies. Upon that Confederation ’twill 
 he eafie to perceive, that I have not [poke wide 
 in defcribing that Wifdom and Acutenefs which 
 fkines through the Words and Allions of thefe 
 poor Americans. If all the World had accefs to 
 the Books of Voyages, that are found in fome well 
 flock d Libraries, they would find in above a hun- 
 dred Defcriptions of Canada, an infinity of Dif- 
 courfes and Arguments offer'd by the Savages, 
 which are incomparably Jlronger, and more ner¬ 
 vous than thofe I ve inferted in my Memoirs. 
 
 As for Juch as doubt of the Infl in SI and wonder¬ 
 ful capacity of Beavers, they need only to cafl their. 
 Eyes upon the Great Map of America, drawn by 
 t :e Sieur de Fcr, and grav'd at Paris in the 
 year 1698. Where they will meet with feveral 
 jurprifing things, relating to thefe Animals. 
 
 While my Book was a Printing in Holland I 
 rvasin -England, and as founds it appear'd, 
 feveral Enghfli \ Gentlemen of a diflinguifhinz Me- 
 nt, who underftand the French well as their 
 Mother Tongue, gave me to know, that they would 
 be glad to fee a more ample Relation of the Man- 
 "V and Ca/ms of the yeople of , ha t Continent, 
 
 T '7 CaU Ly ,be mmt >f S ^es. This oh- 
 , g ,j me 7 “ »>eje Gentlemen, the 
 
 falliance of the feveral Conferences l had in that 
 
 Country 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Country with a certain Huron, whom the French 
 call Rat. While l flay’d at that American’* 
 Village , / imployd my time very agreeably in ma¬ 
 king a carejul Co lied ion of all his Arguments and 
 Opinions; and as Joon as I return'd prom my V>y- 
 age upon the Lakes of Canada, / Jhewdmy Ma- 
 nufcript to Count Frontenac, who was fo pleas'd 
 with it , that he took the pains to ajflfl me in 
 digefling the Dialogues , and bringing them into 
 the order they now appear in : For before tbat y 
 they were abrupt Conferences without Connexion. 
 Upon the Solicitation of thefe Englilh Gentlemen y 
 I ’ve put thefe Dialogues into the hands of the 
 Ferf on who tranflated my Letters and Memoirs : 
 And if it had not been for their preffing Inftan- 
 ces , they had never feen the light • for there are 
 but few in the World that will judge imparti¬ 
 ally , and without prepoffefjion^ of jome things con¬ 
 tain'd in ’em. 
 
 I have likewife intrufled the fame Tranflator 
 with fome Remarks that I made in Portugal, 
 and Denmark, when I fled thither from New¬ 
 found-Land. There the Reader will meet with a 
 defeription of Lisbon and Copenhagen, and of 
 the capital City of Arragon. 
 
 To the Tranflation of my firfl Volume , / have 
 added an exatt Map of Newfound-Land, which 
 was not in the Original. 1 have likewife cor¬ 
 rected almofl all the Cuts of the Holland Im- 
 „ preflton , for the Dutch Gravers had murder’d 
 em , by not underftandingtheir Explications , which 
 were all in French. They have grav’d Women 
 for Men , and Men for Women • naked Perfons 
 for thofe that are cloath’d, and e Contra. As 
 
 for 
 
\ The Preface. 
 
 for the Maps , the Reader will find 'em very 
 ex ail • And I have taken care to have the Trails of 
 my Viyagcs more nicely delineated,\ than in the 0 - 
 riginal. 
 
 I under [land by Letters from Paris, that the 
 two Mejfieurs tie Pontchartrain indeavour by 
 all means to be reveng’d upon me for the af- 
 front they fay I have given 'em in publifbing 
 feme trifling Stories in my Book , that ought to 
 have been conceal'd. 1 am likewife inform'dthat 
 I have reafon to be apprehenfive of the Refent- 
 ment of fever al Ecclejiafhcks , who pretend I have 
 infulted God in cenfuring their Conduit. But 
 fince I expeiled nothing lefs than the furious Re- 
 fentment both of the one and the other , when / 
 put this Book to the Pref r - I had time enough to 
 arm my felf from top to toe, in order to make head 
 againjt ’em. Tis my comfort , that 1 have writ 
 nothing but what / make good by Authentick 
 proofs; befides, that 1 could not have faid lefs 
 of em than I have done; fir if I had not tied 
 m y f e tf u p the dir eel thread of my Difcourje, 
 
 I could have made DigreJJions , in which the Con¬ 
 duit both oj the one and the other, would have 
 appear'd to be prejudicial to the repofe of the So- 
 ciety t and the publick Good. / had provocation 
 enough to have treated 'em in that manner ; but 
 my Letters being addrefs'd to an old Bigotted Re¬ 
 lation of mine, who fed upon Devotion, and dread¬ 
 ed the influence of the Court- he flill befeech’d 
 me to write nothing to him that might difoblige the 
 Clergy or the Courtiers, for fear of the intercept¬ 
 ing of my Letters. However, / have advice from 
 Paris, that fome Pedants are fit at work to lafh 
 
 me 
 
The Preface. 
 
 we in writing; and fo I muft prepare to/land the 
 brunt of a flower of affronts, that will be pour'd 
 upon me in a jew days. But ’tis no matter ; lam 
 Jo good a Conjurer, that I can ward off any form 
 from the fide of Paris. I laugh at their Threats; 
 and fince I cant make ufe of my Sword', I’ll wage 
 War with my Pen. 
 
 This I only mention by the bye, in this my Pre¬ 
 face to the Reader , whom l pray the Heavens 
 to Crown with Profperity , in preferving him 
 from having any bufinefs to adjufl with moft 
 of the Minifiers of State, and Priefls ; for let 
 them be never fo faulty, they'll Jlill be [aid to 
 be in the right, till fuch time as Anarchy be 
 introduc'd amongfl us, as well as the Americans, 
 among whom the forryefi fellow thinks himfelf 
 a better Man , than a Chance Hour of France. 
 Thefe People are happy in being fcreend from the 
 tricks and fhifts of Minfters, who are always 
 Mafiers where-ever they come, [envy the ft ate of 
 a poor Savage, who tramples upon Laws , and 
 pays Homage to no Scepter. I wifh l could fpend 
 the reft of my Life in his Hutt, and fo be no lon¬ 
 ger expos'd to the chagrin of bending the knee to 
 a fet of Men, that Jacrifice the publick good to 
 their private intcreft, and are born to plague 
 koneft Men. The two Minifiers of State / have 
 to do with, have been fo/licit ed in vain, by the 
 Dutchefs of Ludc, Cardinal Bouillon, Count Gui- 
 fcar, Mr. de Quiros, and Count d‘ Avaux .• No¬ 
 thing could prevail, tho' all that is laid to my 
 charge, c on [ifIs only in not bearing the affronts of 
 a Governour, whom they protetl • at a time when 
 a hundred other Officers, who live under the impu¬ 
 tation 
 
The Preface. 
 
 tat ion of Crimes, infinitely greater than mine 
 are excus'd for three Months alfence from Court. I 
 Now the Reafon is, that they give lefs quarter to 
 thofe who have the misfortune to difpleafe the two 
 Mejfeurs de Ponchartrain, than to fuch as ad 
 contrary to the Kings Orders. I 
 
 But after all my Misfortunes, I have this to 
 folace me, that I injoy in England a fort of Li¬ 
 berty, that is not met with elfewhere: For one 
 may jufly fay, that of all the Countries inhabited 
 by civilis'd people, this alone affords the greatefi 
 perfection of Liberty. Nay, / do not except the 
 * liberty of the Mind, for I am convinc'd, that the 
 Englidi maintain it with a great deal of tender- 
 nefs : So true it is, that all degrees of Slavery 
 are abhorr'd by this People, who fhew their Wif 
 dom in the precautions they take to prevent their 
 finking into a fatal Servitude. 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Dated at Quebec Nov. 8. 1683. 
 
 C ontaining a Defcription of the Pafage from 
 France to Canada; with fome Remarks 
 upon the Coajls, Channels , &c. and the 
 variation of the Needle. p, £> 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Dated at the Canton of Beaupre May x. 1684. 
 
 Containing a Defcription of the Plantations of 
 Canada, and the manner in whichi they were 
 firft form d: As alfo an Account of the Tranf- 
 portation of Whores from France thatCoun- 
 try ; together with a view of its Climate and 
 Soil, p. 7. 
 
 LET- 
 
The Contents. 
 
 LETTER. III. 
 
 Dated at Quebec May i S . 1684. 
 
 Containing an ample Defcription of the City of 
 Quebec, and of the Ijland of St. Laurence. 
 
 letter, iv. p ‘ u ‘ 
 
 Dated at Monreal June 14. 1684. 
 
 Containing a brief Defcription of the Habitati - 
 ons of the Savages in the Neighbourhood of 
 Quebec; of the River of St. Laurence, as far 
 upas Monreal; of a curious way of fifhing 
 Eels; and of the Cities of Trois Rivieres, and 
 Monreal.- Together with an account of the 
 Conduct of the For reft. Rangers or Fedlers. 
 
 LETTER. V. P l6 ‘ 
 
 Dated at Monreal June 18.1684. 
 
 In which is contain’d a fhort account of the \ro- 
 quefc, with a view of the War and Peace they 
 
 wh ch t l F, l nd V °f the means by 
 which it was brought about. p 
 
 LETTER. VI. 
 
 Dated at Monreal June zq. 1684. 
 
 Be 7 ZTL D k' fcrip,im l , i ,hc c « "a* 
 
 *1 Et,w Bark , , n wh , ch , h( 
 
 por- 
 
1 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 perform all their Voyages; with an Account of 
 the manner in which they are made and ma- 
 na £ d ' ' p. 26. 
 
 LETTER. VN. 
 
 Dated at Monreal Novemh. 2. 1684. 
 
 Defer thing the River of St. Laurence, from 
 Monreal to the firft great Lake of Canada 
 with the Waterfalls, Cataralls, and Naviga¬ 
 tion of that River: As alfo Fort Frontenac, 
 and the advantages that accrue from it. To- 
 gether with a Circumflantial account of the 
 Expedition of Mr. de la Barre, the Governour 
 General, againfi the Iroquefe; the Speeches he 
 made, the Replies he receiv'd, and the final 
 Accommodation of the difference. p 4 29. 
 
 letter, viil 
 
 Dated at Monreal June 28. 1685’. 
 
 Representing the Fortifications of Monreal, and 
 the indifereet zeal of the Priejls, who are Lords 
 of that Town: With a Defcription of Cham- 
 b i, and of the Commerce of the Savages upon 
 
 the great Lakes. * r 
 
 p. 45. 
 
 letter. JX. 
 
 Dated at Bouchervilie Oft. 2. 1685-. 
 
 Being an Account of the Commerce and Trade of 
 Monreal.- Of the Arrival of the Marquis of 
 
 Denonville 
 
The Contents. 
 
 Dcnonville with fome Troops; and of the re¬ 
 calling of Mr. de la Barre. With a curious Def¬ 
 er ipt ion of certain Licenfes for trading in Bea¬ 
 ver-Skins in the remote Countries. p. ji. 
 
 LETTER. X. 
 
 Dated at Boucherville July 8. 1686. 
 
 Relating the Arrival of Mr. de Champigni, in 
 the room of Mr. de Meules, who is recall'd to 
 France; the arrival of the Troops that came 
 along with him , the curiofity of the Rackets, 
 and the ivay of hunting Elks ; with a Defcrip- 
 tion of that Animal. p . 55. 
 
 LETTER. XI. 
 
 Dated at Boucherville May x8.1687. 
 
 Being a curious Defcription of the Huntingof di¬ 
 vers Animals. p. < 5 0 . ! 
 
 LETTER. Xfl. j 
 
 Dated at St. Helens over againft Monreal 
 June 8. 1687. 
 
 The Chevalier de Vaudreuil arrives in Canada 
 with fome Troops. Both the Regular Troops 
 and the Militia are pofted at St. Helens, in 
 a readinefs to march againft the Iroquefe. 
 
 p. 68. 
 
 LET- 
 
The Contents. 
 LETTER, xml 
 
 Dated at Niagara Aug. z. i6Sy. 
 
 Reprefenting the unfavourable Iffue of the Cam¬ 
 paign, made in the Iroquefe Country-, the dif- 
 covery of an Ambufcade , and the iffuing of Or¬ 
 ders for the Author to march with a Detachment 
 to the great Lakes. p y 0t 
 
 LETTER. XIV. 
 
 Dated at Mifftlimakinac May z6. 1688. 
 
 the Author leaves Nagara, and has an Incounter 
 with the Iroquefe at the end of the Land Car¬ 
 riage. The after-part of his Voyage. A Def- 
 cription of the Country. He arrives at Fort St. 
 Jofeph in the Mouth of the Lake of Hurons. A 
 Detachment of the Hurons arrive at the fame 
 place. After an Ingagement, they fet out for 
 Miffilimakinac. A ftrange Adventure of Mr. 
 de la Salle s Brother. Millilimakinac def- 
 
 Crih ’ J - p. 80. 
 
 LETTER. XV. 
 
 Dated at Mifftlimakinac Sept. 18. j688. 
 
 Deferibing the Fall call'd Saut St. Marie, where 
 the Author perfwades the Inhabitants to joyn 
 the Outaouas, and march againfi the Iroquefe. 
 And containing an account of the Occurrences of 
 the Voyage between that Place and Midilimaki- 
 
 p. gz, 
 
 L E T- 
 
 d 
 
The Contents* 
 
 LETTER. XVI. 
 
 Dated at Mijfilimakinac May 28. 1689. 
 
 Containing an Account of the Author s Departure 
 from , and Return to, Millilimakinac. A Def¬ 
 er ipt ion of the Bay of Puants, and its Villages. 
 An ample Defer ipt ion of the Beavers , follow’d 
 by the Journal of a remarkable Voyage upon the 
 Long River , and a Map of the adjacent Coun - 
 
 tr y' p. 104. 
 
 LETTER. XVir. 
 
 Dated at Quebec Sep. 28. 1689. 
 
 7he Author fets out from Millilimakinac to the 
 Colony , and deferibes the Country, Rivers , and 
 Paffes that be faw by the way. The Irocjuefe 
 make a fatal incur ft on into the [(land of Mon- 
 real .' Fort Fronrenac is abandon'd; Count 
 Frontenac is fent to Canada, and the Marquis 
 of Denonvillc is recall’d. 
 
 LETTER. XV Ilf. 
 
 Dated at Quebec Nov. iq. 1689. 
 
 Giving an Account of Mr.de Frontenac ’s Arrival, 
 his Reception ., his Voyage to Monrcal, and the 
 repairing oj Fort irontenac. n, 1 < j. 
 
 LETTER. XIX. 
 
 Dated at Mon real Otlober 2. 1690. 
 Relating the Attempts upon New-England, and 
 
 C ? 
 
 New- 
 
The Contents. 
 
 New-Y ork; a fatal Emlaffy fent by the French 
 to the Iroquefe, and an ill-concerted Enterprife 
 of the Englifh and the Iroquefe, in marching 
 by Land to attack the French Colony, p. 15 j . 
 
 LETTER. XX. 
 
 Dated at Rochel January it. 1691. 
 
 Being a Relation of a fecond and very important 
 Expedition of the Englifh by Sea; in which is 
 contain da Letter written by the Englifh Admi¬ 
 ral to Count Frontenac, with tlx Govemour's 
 l erbal Anfwer,. As alfo an account of the Au¬ 
 thor s departure for France. p. 15-9, 
 
 LETTER. XXf. 
 
 Dated at Rochel July 16. 1691. 
 
 Containing a Defcription of the Courts or Offices of 
 the Miniflers of State , and a view of fome 
 Services that are ill rewarded at Court , p. 166. 
 
 LETTER. XXIf. 
 
 Dated at fluelec Nov. 10. 1691. 
 
 Which contains an account of the Author s depar¬ 
 ture from Rochel to Quebec, of his Voyage to 
 the mouth of the River St. Laurence, of a Ren¬ 
 counter with an Englifh Ship which he fought ; 
 of the fir anding of his Ship • of hisfailing thro ’ 
 the River St. Laurence ; of the news he receiv'd 
 that a party of the Englifh and iroquefe, had de¬ 
 feated a Body of the French Troops, p. 1 7 r. 
 
 a % L E T* 
 
The Concents. 
 
 LETTER. XXIII. 
 
 Dated at Nants OHob. z$. i6yz. 
 
 Containing an Account of the taking of fome Eng- 
 Hill Veffels, of defeating a Party of the Iroquefe, 
 of an lroquefe burnt alive at Quebec ; of ano¬ 
 ther Party of thefe Barbarians , who having fur- 
 pris'dfome Coureurs de Bois, were afterwards 
 furpris’d themfelves. Of the Projell of an Enter- 
 prize propos’d by Mr. Frontenac to the Author. 
 Of the Author s departure in a Frigat for F ranee, 
 and his flopping at Placentia, which was then at¬ 
 tack'd ly the Englifh Fleet that came to take that 
 Poft from ns. How the EngliiTi fail'd in their 
 Defign, and the Author purfud his Voyage. 
 
 p. 175. 
 
 LETTER. XXIV. 
 
 Dated at Nants May 10. 1693. 
 
 Containing an Account of Mr. Frontenac’f Pro jell, 
 which was rejetled at Court , and the reafon why 
 it was re jelled. The King gives the Author the 
 Lieutenancy of Newfound Land, &c. together 
 with the Independent Company. p. 187. 
 
 LETTER. XXV. \ U f 
 Dated at Viana in Portugal fan. 31. 1694. 
 
 the Author s departure from France to Placentia. 
 
 A heet of 30 Englifh Ships came to feize upon 
 that place ; but is difappointed , and Sheers off. 
 The reafon why the Englifh have lad fuccefs in 
 
 all 
 
 r , 
 
 / 
 
The Contents. 
 
 all their Enterprifes beyond Sea. The Au¬ 
 thor’s Adventure with the Governour of Placen¬ 
 tia. His departure for Portugal. An Ingage- 
 went with a Flufhing Privateer. p. 195. 
 
 Memoirs of North-America. 
 
 Containing a Geographical Defcription of that vafl 
 Continent; the Cuftoms and Commerce of the 
 Inhabitants , &c. p. 103. 
 
 A fhort Defcription of Canada. p. zo$. 
 
 A Lift of the Savage Nations of Canada, p. 230. 
 
 A Lift of the Animals of Canada. p. 232. 
 
 A Defcription of Juch Animals or Beafts as are not 
 mention’d in the Letters. p. z 5 3 . 
 
 A Lift of the Fowl or Birds of Canada. p.237. 
 
 A Defcription of fueh Birds as are not accounted for 
 in the Letters. p. 239, 
 
 A Defcription of the Infefts of Canada. p. 242. 
 
 The Names of the Fifh of Canada. p 243. 
 
 A Defcription of the Fifh that are not mention’d in 
 the Letters. p. 144.. 
 
 The Trees and Fruits of Canada. p. 247. 
 
 A Defcription of the above-mention dTrees- p.248. 
 
 A General view of the Commerce of Canada, p.254. 
 
 The Commodities truck'd to. and again between the 
 French and the Savages. p. 257. 
 
 An Account of the Government of Canada in Gene¬ 
 ral. p. 260. 
 
 A Difcourfe of the Inter eft of the French and Eng- 
 lilh in North-America. p.260. 
 
 A Table Explainingfome uncommon Terms, p.276. 
 
 The 
 
 
The Contents of the Second Volume. 
 
 A Difcourfe of the Halit, Houfes , Complexi¬ 
 on and Temperament of the Savages of 
 North-America. P. i. VoJ. i. 
 
 A fiort view of the Humours and Cuftoms of the 
 Savages. p, 7> 
 
 The Belief of the Savages , and the Ohjlacles of 
 their Converfion. p. 1 ^ )i 
 
 The way of Worfhip us'd by the Savages. p. 29, 
 
 An Account of the Amours and Marriages of the 
 Savages. p . 
 
 A View of the Difeafes and Remedies of the Sava- 
 
 p, 
 
 The Diverfions of Hunting and Shooting ufual a- 
 mong the Savages. V- 55' 
 
 The Military Art of the Savages. P-7t. 
 
 A View of the Heraldy and the Coats of Arms of 
 the Savages. p g ^ 
 
 An Explication of the Savage Hieroglyphicks 
 
 p. 86. 
 
 A Conference or Dialogue between the 
 Author and Adario , a noted Man a- 
 mong the Savages. 
 
 Containing a Circumflantial view of the Cuftoms 
 and Humours of that People. ' p 90t 
 
 An 
 
The Contents; 
 
 An ATT END lx. Containing fome 
 New Voyages to Tortugal and Denmark 
 after the Author’s Retirement from Ca¬ 
 nada. 
 
 LETTER. I. 
 
 Dated at Lishon April 10. 1694. 
 
 Containing a Defeription of Viana, Porto a Porto, 
 Aveiro, Coimbra, Lisbon; together with a 
 View of the Court of Portugal ; and an Account 
 of the Government) Laws^Cufoms, and Humours 
 of the Portuguefe. p. 185-. 
 
 LETTER. II. 
 
 Dated at Travemunde 1694. 
 
 Containing an Account of the Authors Voyage from 
 Lisbon to Garnfey ; his Adventure with an Eng* 
 lifli Man of Wt. ?r, and an Englifh Privateer: A 
 Defer iption o/Rotterdam and Amfterdam ; the 
 Author s Voyage to Hamburgh ; the Dimenfions 
 of a Flemifh Sloop ; a Defeription of the City of 
 Hamburg ; the Author s Journey from thence to 
 Lubeck, and a Defer iption of that City. p. zi r. 
 
 LETTER. III. 
 
 Dated at Copenhagen Sept. iz. 1694.' 
 
 Containing a Defer iption of the Port and City of 
 Copenhagen, a view of theDzmfaCourt) and 
 of the HumourS) Cufloms , Commerce , Forces ^dze. 
 of the Danes. p. 
 
 LET- 
 

 o j: 
 
 
 m i / 
 
 VC 
 
 m ' fl 
 
 The Contents. 
 
 LETTER. IV. 
 
 Dated at Paris Decani. 19. 1694. 
 
 Containing a Journal of the Author s Travelsfrom 
 Copenhagen to Paris. p. Z44. 
 
 LETTER. V. 
 
 Dated at Erleich July 4.1694. 
 
 Giving a view of the Superjlition and Ignorance of 
 the People of Bearn; their addittednefs to the 
 notions of Witchcraft, Apparitions ,&c. And the 
 Authors Arguments againjl that Delufion. p.z^. 
 
 LETTER. VI. 
 
 > Dated at Huefia July 11.1695". 
 
 Containing an Account of the Authors efcape and 
 journey to Spain ; his being taken up for a Hu¬ 
 guenot, and the Ignorance and Bigotry of the 
 Curates and People <?/Bearn in France, p. z6'6. 
 
 LETTER. VII. 
 
 Dated at Saragcza Othl. 8. 1695. 
 
 Containing aDefcription of Saragoza; a View of 
 the Government of Arragon, and an Account of 
 the Cufloms of the People. P- 174. 
 
 A fhort Dictionary of the Language of the Savages. 
 
 p. 187; 
 
 errata. 
 
 VOL. 1. p.6.1.11. for da sts x. Leases, d 1 f . , 
 
 V >hr,c hundred. p ,6. I. s. for If/ftTf, / j T” 
 
 527.1. 34 . lor P«,mtet.Pra.tr. Vol.II. p f y ? **’ P ’ 
 
 tneenry v . I ,for nr.nh r. fid'h. p 
 
 56.1.38. for can r. „„V. p. 7 /l ,< l V "‘ 
 
 Si- r.fot Counteli of frmdand. r Count cCe deFrf? ** p> 
 
 Some 
 
 U 
 
I nvp ovals 
 
 ^h^rfahitihi / 1 
 
 h\ 0 ^lea«.i 
 
 'fjfelens 
 
 l s"*£2p* 
 
 [jHura.i anlOu^J\~J*2 
 I. °yKxt^r- Ja t^jr 
 
 Wit. af'Jr. W/ > v 
 
 i V Oth tl^turjr <ij g jJ 
 
 \\uStI.outs *Z\ 
 T Cfutmbh 3?, 
 
 Sfleouii ^ 
 
 ^Ckamplaiti X» 
 
 ,\iiu *&/«« I 
 yr/ir</ * 
 jE&unTsn I 
 
 2jg^Ja &ce / 
 
 y '"Iany iSmttj 
 
 l*C*ftta r 
 
 SfjMlU*. hurt, ofttq Vld Q 
 
 /y/w^/i i t iF,, 
 
 C JF ^Tlwonawt*'1 * 
 
 >JT^£trotxotx* 
 
 fSHuronJ ^ ^ ^ 
 
 j 0 rO^ ** n «0uat x 
 
 f ‘’’’ontatit A. jf 
 
 Leaser buntiny 
 fylnnpieje ^grjf rw 1 
 
 * &zrj(£zLA rSni 
 
 make 2 l f ar 
 
 Mouth ofy Crriat Isolde 
 erf y A S SINIP OVA L S 
 
 2.6 2 , 
 
 it Cities and Ltruenj >, „ 
 
 S J Erench SCLnyUfi ^hllages t p 
 a a Villages of the Savages l ^ 
 j a. A. Savage Vitt.defl. hy y Irotjutfc I \ 
 
 ’ ©) ihe Torts with a Croft about i*“* 
 
 Ar/ abandon’d 
 
 ±f^-The Countries for Leaver '■ . ^ 
 
 hunting . that: I know of \ 
 j^ftCaterfalLs and Catar; tny Hvi>enf fe ▼ 
 
 . + Land CarriagesJrorn one place 1 0|K 
 
 [1 &7 another . r V 
 
 I ..•■•VJk/0ru:A2 /m* runs'front 
 
 i ^Laurence!} ay points out the courfe T 
 
 1 of my I^oyege to Ctftjjiltnxaktnac \ A 
 
 x^'dhe hints run tn this Jafhion frorn.Jt£i(fih /r 
 
 makinac by y Eadnde ofy Lake of Cfurons - Atko-rwair 
 
 toy South ofLaktWxrrte andst) nr CondeIUver \^ ^ 
 
 which they ru *j/h j>ack byyti^efljtde of _ j ^ 
 
 jCuron Lake to Jtfi/fiT^maktiiac: theft lines I 
 delineate the courfe «-v^% 
 m our Expedition | 
 
 ddtxll S 
 
 ff \ aqinfb the Iroejuefe __ 
 
 I ihts Serpentine line 
 i Shews y Couife of my HeturnC 
 Ifrvmdfiffilimakinac to dfonrealj^Jlauff 
 \by the iuay of It. d’Eraneo^ ^is.0T 
 \\theHirer Crufe . and the 
 \Credt It. of OutaouaS . 
 
 K ivej. 
 
 ^ r. Bay of St 
 
 fe-ft* 10 * 
 
 X,auren.ce 
 
 • •". /4 " j 
 
 . V *1 .— 1 
 
 “^9 ^ -Bud; I. 
 
 ^ iLriohM 
 
 J> AuOylJZnfey nV€ x n fCihti 
 
 Chedaboucktott^ 
 
 Si bouchton 
 
 f±h (cot x\a t> 
 
 * 
 
 f ’defris iB 
 t C. dLntta, 
 
 |C,Co<l 
 
 ", Satie 
 
 J. # 
 
 \*\ Crevpccwu'^^' , 
 
 -rttUyes of-the 2M , fjf * 
 
 JSUffiouriJ ^ ^ r <S*J nt h4 tr tncuifotli vf t ' I ^ J C 
 
 th* Hirer dkf) l y ^^J nA 
 
 y^tSfontucke* ife 
 ff\ Cfantuckctr 
 
 A TLA NT ICE. 
 O c .E A 3 sr • 
 
1 
 
 Some New 
 
 VOYAGES 
 
 T O 
 
 North -Ameri ca. 
 
 TOME i. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Dated at the Port of Quebec, Nov. 8. 1685. 
 
 Containing a Defcription of the Paffage from 
 France to Canada; with fome Remarks upon 
 the Coafls , Channels, &c. and the Variation 
 of the Needle. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I am furpris’d to find that a Voyage to the New 
 World is fo formidable to thofe who are ob¬ 
 lig’d to undertake it j for I folemnly proteft that 
 ’tis far from being what the World commonly 
 takes it for. ’Tis true, the Paffage is in fome mea- 
 fure long; but then the hopes of viewing an un¬ 
 known Country, attones for the tedioufnefs of the 
 Voyage. When we broke ground from Rochel, I 
 acquainted you with the Reafons that mov’d Mr. 
 le Fevre de la Barre, Governor General of Canada, 
 to fend the Sieur Mahu , a Canadefe, to France ; 
 and at the fame time gave you to know, that he 
 
 B had 
 
2 Some New Voyages 
 
 had refolv’d upon the utter deftru&ion of the Iro- 
 ejuefe, who are a very Warlike and Savage People. 
 Thefe Barbarians befriend the Englifij, upon the ac¬ 
 count of the Succours they receive from ’em ; but 
 they are enemies to us, upon the apprehenfion of 
 being deftroy’d by us fome time or other. The 
 General I fpoke of but now, expedted that the King 
 would fend him feven or eight hundred Men ; but 
 when we fet out from Rocbel the feafon was fo far 
 advanc’d, that our three Companies of Marines 
 were reckon’d a fufficient Venture. 
 
 I met with nothing in our PalTage that was dis¬ 
 agreeable, abating for a Storm that alarm’d us for 
 fome days, upon the precipice of the bank of New¬ 
 found-Land , where the Waves fwell prodigioufly, e* 
 ven when the Winds are low. In that Storm our 
 Frigat receiv’d fome rude fliocks from the Sea; but 
 in regard that fuch accidents are ufual in that Voy¬ 
 age, they made no impreffion upon the old fea- 
 fon’d Sailors. As for my part, I could not pre¬ 
 tend to that pitch of indifference ; for having ne¬ 
 ver made fuch a Voyage before, 1 was fo alarm’d 
 in feeing the Waves mount up to the Clouds, that 
 I made more vows to Neptune, than the brave Ido- 
 mer.atat did in his return from the Wars of Troy. 
 After we made the bank, the Waves funk, and the 
 Wind dwindled, and the Sea became fo fmooth 
 and eafie, that we could not work our Ship. You 
 can fcarce imagine what quantities of Cod-filh 
 were catch d there by our Seamen, in the (paceof a 
 quarter of an hourj for though we had thirty two 
 fathom Water, yet the Hook was no fooner at the 
 bottom, than the Fifh was catch’d ; fo that they 
 had nothing to do but to throw in, and take up 
 without interruption : But after all, fuch is the mil- 
 fortune of this Filhery, that it do’s not fucceed but 
 upon certain banks, which are commonly paft o- 
 ver without Bopping. However, as we were plen¬ 
 tifully 
 
 / 
 
 
to North-America. ^ 
 
 tifully entertain’d at the col} of thefe Fiflies, fo 
 luch of em as continued in the Sea, made fuffici- 
 ent reprisals upon the Corps of a Captain, and of 
 feveral soldiers, who dy’d of the Scurvy, and were 
 thrown over-hoard three or four days after. 
 
 In the mean time the Wind veering to the Weft- 
 North-Welt, we were oblig’d to lye bye for five or 
 fix days; but after tlut it chop’d to the North 
 and f 0 we happily made Cape Rafi, tho’ indeed cur 
 I dots were at a lofs to know where we were by 
 reafon that they could not take the Latitude for ten 
 or twelve days before. You may eafiiy imagine, 
 that was with great joy that we heard one of "cur 
 Sailors call from the Top-Maft, Land, Land, juft 
 s „ oid when he approach’d to Maltha, r»? 
 
 * f * For y° u muft know that when the Pi¬ 
 
 lots reckon they approach to Land, they ufe the 
 precaution of fending up Sailors to the Top-Maft, 
 in order to fome difeovery; and thefe Sailors are 
 rehev d every two hours till Night comes, at which 
 time they furl their Sails if the Land is not yet 
 deicry d: So that in the Night-time they fcarce 
 make any way. From this it appears how impor- 
 tanc it is to know the Coaft, before you approach 
 
 rhp >r ay ’ thC Pairen 8 ers P u t fuch a value upon 
 • l J C ° Ve ^n t ! lac d l e y P re ^ cnt the firft difeoverer 
 . . fome I iftoles. In the mean time, you’ll be 
 pleas d to obferve, that the Needle of the Com pa ft, 
 vyhich n«urally pomes to the North, turns upon 
 the bank of Newfound.Land, twenty three Degrees 
 towards the North-Weft; that is, it points there 
 degree nearer to the Weft, than North-North-Weft. 
 
 1 his remark we made by our Compafs of Vari- 
 
 We defery’d the Cape about Noon ; and in order 
 
 £ls Sr m A 6 V'nT ry ’ ft00din upon it with all 
 p a!oft - Ac b"'ug a (lur’d that ’twas the 
 Promontory we look’d for, an univerfal joy was 
 
 ^ 2 fpread 
 
4 Some New Voyages 
 
 fpread throughout the Ship, and the fate of the 
 wretches that we had thrown over-board, was quite 
 forgot. Then the Sailors fet about the Chriftemng | 
 of thofe who had never made the Voyage before, 
 and indeed they had done it fooner, if it had not 
 been for the death of our above-mention’d Compa¬ 
 nions. The Chriftening I fpeak of, is an imperti¬ 
 nent Ceremony, practis’d by Sea-faring Men, whofe 
 humours are as ftrange and extravagant, as the 
 Element it felf, upon which they foolifhly truft 
 themfelves. By vertue of a Cuftom of old Band¬ 
 ing, they profane the Sacrament of Baptifm in an 
 unaccountable manner. Upon that occafion, the old 
 Sailors being blacken’d all over, and difguis’d with 
 Rags and Ropes, force the greener fort that have 
 never pafs’d fome certain degrees of Latitude be¬ 
 fore, to fall down on their Knees, and to fwear , 
 upon a Book of Sea Charts, that upon all occafi- 
 ons they will pradife upon others, the fame Cere¬ 
 mony that is then made ufe of towards them. Af- I 
 ter the adminiftring of this ridiculous Oath , they 
 throw fifty Buckets full of Water upon their Head, 
 Belly, and Thighs, and indeed all over their Body, 
 without any regard to times or feafons. This piece 
 of folly is chiefly pradis’d under the Equator, un¬ 
 der theTropicks, under the Polar Circles, upon the 
 bank of Newfound Land ; and in the Streights oi 
 Gibraltar, the Sund, and the Dardanelles. As for 
 Perfons of Note or Charader, they are exempted 
 from the Ceremony, at the expence of five or fix 
 bottles of Brandy for the Ships Crew. 
 
 Three or four days after the performance of this 
 Solemnity, we difeover’d Cape Raje, and fo made 
 up to St. Laurence Bay, in the Mouth of wh : ch we 
 were becalm’d for a little while ; and during that 
 Calm, we had a clearer and pleafanter day, than 
 any we had feen in the PalVage. It look'd as if 
 that day had been vouchfaf d us by way of recom- 
 
 pence 
 
pence for the Rains, Foggs, and high Winds, that 
 we incounter’d by the way. There we faw an 
 Engagement between a Whale 
 and a * Sword- Fifh, at the di- * Efpadon, aftjhbe- 
 ftance of a Gun-fhot from our Foot 
 
 Frigar. We were perfedly charm’d Z%cumfJn«, 2 
 when we faw the Sword-Fiih jump having in its Snout » 
 out of the water in order to dart its Jj rt »f Sa7P vhieh is 
 Spear into the Body of the Whale, /»»•*"'•*./•«* 
 when oblig’d to take breath. This ^ 
 entertaining fhow laded at lead 
 two hours, fometimes to the Starboard, and fbme- 
 times to the Larboard of the Ship The Sailors, 
 among whom Supeiftition prevails as much as 
 among the Egyptians, took this for a prefage of fome 
 mighty Storm ; but the Prophecy ended in two or 
 three days of contrary Winds, during which time 
 we travers’d between the Ifland of Newfound-Land, 
 and that of Cape Breton. Two days after we came 
 in fight of the Ifland of Fowls, by the help of a 
 North-Eaft Wind ; which drove us from the Mouth 
 of St. Laurence Bay, to the Ifle of Anticofti , upon the 
 bank of which, we thought to have been caft a- 
 way, by nearing it too much. In the Mouth of 
 that River we fell into a fecond calm, which was 
 follow’d by a contrary Wind, that oblig’d us to 
 lye bye for fome days. At laft we made Tadoujfac , 
 by gradual approaches, and there came ro an An¬ 
 chor. 
 
 This River is four Leagues broad where we then 
 rode, and twenty two at its Mouth ; but it contracts it 
 felf gradually, as it approaches to its fource. Two 
 days after, the Wind Handing Eaft, we weigh’d An¬ 
 chor ; and being favour’d by the Tyde, got fafe 
 , through the Channel of the Red Ifland, in which 
 the Currents are apt to turn a Velfel on one fide, 
 as well as at the Ifland of Coudres , which lies fome 
 Teagues higher. But upon the Coaft of the laft 
 
 B j Ifland, 
 
 
6 borne New Voyages 
 
 Ifland, we had certainly ftruck upon the Rocks, if 
 we had not drop’d an Anchor. Had the Ship been 
 caft away at that place, we might eafily have fav’d 
 our (elves : But it prov’d (b, that we were more af- 
 fraid than hurt. Is] ext Morning we weighed with 
 a frefh gale from the Eaft, and the next day after 
 came to an Anchor over againft Cape Tourmente, 
 where we had not above two Leagues over, tho’ 
 at the fame time ’tis a dangerous place to thofe who 
 are unacquainted with the Channel. From thence 
 we had but feven days (ailing to the Port of Que¬ 
 bec, where we now ride at Anchor. In our Paffags 
 from the red [(land to this place, we law fuch floats 
 of Ice, and fo much Snow upon the Land, that we 
 were upon the point of turning back for France , 
 tho’ we were not then above thirty Leagues off our 
 defired Port. We were affraid of being dop’d by 
 the Ice, and fo loll; but thank God we ’fcap’d. 
 
 We have receiv’d advice, that the Governor has 
 mark d out Quarters for our Troops in fome Villa¬ 
 ges or Cantons adjacent to this City ; fo that I am 
 obhg d to prepare to go aiiioar, and therefore mult 
 make an end of this Letter. I cannot as yet give 
 you any account of the Country, excepting that 
 ’ti's already mortally cold. As to the River, { mean 
 to give you a more ample defeription of it, when 
 I conic to know ic better. We are informed that 
 Mr. ,le U Sa'U is juft return'd from his Travels, 
 which he undertook upon the difeovery of a great 
 River that falls into the Gulf of Mexico ; and that 
 he imbarques to morrow for France. He is perfectly 
 well acquainted with Canada, and for that realon 
 you ought to vifit him, if you go to Pari, tt;is Win¬ 
 ter. . 1 am. 
 
to North- America. 
 
 7 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Dated at the Canton of Beauprl, May 2. 1684. 
 
 Containing a Defcription of the Plantations of 
 Canada, and the manner in which they were firfl 
 form’d: As alfo an account of the Tranfporta- 
 tion of Whores from France to that Country ; 
 together with a view of its Climate and Soil. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 A S Toon as we landed laft year, Mr. dela Barrt 
 lodg’d our three Companies in fome Cantons 
 or Quarters in the Neighbourhood of Quebec. The 
 Planters call thefe places Cotes, which in France figni- 
 fies no more than the Sea-Coaft ; tho’ in this Coun¬ 
 try where the names of Town and Village are un¬ 
 known, that word is made ufe of to exprefs a Seig- 
 nory or Manour, the Houles of which lie at the 
 diflance of two or three Paces one from another, 
 and are feated on the brink of the River of St. Lau¬ 
 rence. In earned. Sir, the Boors of thofe Manors 
 live with more eafe and conveniency, than an in¬ 
 finity of the Gentlemen in France. I am out indeed 
 in calling ’em Boors, for that name is as little known 
 here as in Spain ; whether it be that they pay no 
 Taxes, and injoy the liberty of Hunting and Fill¬ 
 ing; or that the eafinefs of their Life, puts ’em up¬ 
 on a level with the Nobility. The 
 pooreft of them have four + Ar- 
 pents of Ground in front, and 
 thirty or forty in depth: The 
 whole Country being a continued 
 Forreft of lofty Trees, the flumps 
 
 ' B 4 of 
 
 t An Arp tntisa foot 
 of ground containing 
 100 Perches fyuare, 
 each of which is eigh - 
 teen Foct long. 
 
8 Some New Voyages 
 
 of which muft be grub'd up, before they can make 
 ufe of a Plough. ’Tis true, this is a troublefom 
 and chargeable task at firft; but in a Ihort time 
 after they make up their Lofles ; for when the Vir¬ 
 gin ground is capable of receiving Seed, it yields an 
 increafe to the rate of an hundred fold. Corn is 
 there fown in May, and reap’d about the middle of 
 September. Inftead of threlhing the Sheafs in the Field, 
 they convey ’em to Barns, where they lie till the 
 col deft feaion of the Winter, at which time the 
 < 3 rain is more eafily difengag’d from the Ear. In this 
 Country they likewife fow Peafe, which are much 
 el.eem d in France. All forts of Grain are very 
 cheap here, as well as Butchers Meat and Fowl. 
 The price of Wood is almoft nothing, in compari- 
 fon with the charge of its carriage, which after all 
 is very inconfiderable. 
 
 Molt of the Inhabitants are a free fort of People 
 that remov d hither from France, and brought with 
 em but little Money to fet up withal : The reft 
 are thofe who were Soldiers about thirty or forty 
 } ears ago, at which time the Regiment of Carignan 
 was broke, and they exchang’d a Military Poft, 
 oi the trade of Agriculture. Neither the one nor 
 ti:e other pay d any thing for the grounds they pot 
 ids, no more than the Officers of thefe Troops, 
 who mark'd out to themfelves, cei tain portions of 
 unmanurd and woody Lands; for this vaft Conti¬ 
 nent is nothing elfe than one continued Foneft. 
 
 .e zmernours General allow’d the Officers three 
 or tour Leagues of ground in front, with as much 
 depth as they pleas’d ; and at the fame time the Of- 
 fic«rs gave the Soldiers as much ground as they 
 pleas d, upon the condition of the payment of a 
 Crown per Arpznt, by way of Fief. 
 
 After the reform of thefe Troops, fevera! Ships 
 were lent hither from France, with a Cargos of 
 A omen of an ordinary Reputation, under the di- 
 
 fed ion 
 
to Norf/; America. 9 
 
 J Es region of fome old ftale Nuns, who rang’d ’em in 
 ® I three Gaffes. The Veftal Virgins were heap’d up, 
 
 ‘ 'I" (if I may fo fpeak ) one above another, in three 
 
 different Apartrpents, where the Bridegrooms fing- 
 ! c - led out their Brides, juft as a Butcher do’s an £we 
 from amongft a Flock of Sheep. In thefe three Se- 
 1 •' raglio’s, there was fuch variety and change of Diet, 
 
 5 fa as could fatisfie the mod whimfical Appetites; for 
 ® ^ here was fome big fome little, fome fair fome 
 ® r brown, fome fat and fome meagre. In fine, there 
 to- was fuch Accommodation, that every one might 
 IE be fitted to his Mind : And indeed the Market had 
 ei ? fuch a run, that in fifteen days time, they were all 
 I fa difpos’d of. I am told, that the fatteft went off 
 beft, upon the apprehenfion that thefe being lefs 
 fei atftive, would keep truer to their Ingagements, and 
 hold out better againft the nipping cold of the Win- 
 Pic; ter: But after all, a great many of the He-Ad ven¬ 
 ue turers found themfelves miftaken in their mealures. 
 is ii However,let that be as it will, it affords a very curious 
 r(« Remark; namely, That in fome parts of the World, 
 trip to which the vicious European Women are tranfport- 
 P« ed, the Mob of thofe Countries do’s ferioufly be¬ 
 lts lieve, that their Sins are fo defac’d by the ridiculous 
 :)[£• Chriftening, I took nosice of before, that they arc 
 iotf look’d upon ever after as Ladies of Vertue, of Ho- 
 orei nour, and of an untarnilh’d condu&of Life. The 
 lore Spaiks that wanted to be married, made their Ad- 
 oiii dreffes to the above mention’d Governeffes, to whom 
 ib they were oblig’d to give an account of their 
 mes Goods and Eftates, before they were allow’d to 
 t(f make their choice in the three Seraglios. After the 
 lb choice was determin’d, the Marriage was concluded 
 Ji upon the fpot, in the prefence of a Prieft, and a 
 publick Notary ; and the next day the Governor- 
 General bellow’d upon the married Couple, a Bull, a 
 uif Cow, a Hog, a Sow, a Cock, a Hen, two Barrels 
 it- of fait Meat, and eleven Crowns j together with 
 litfi * 
 
lo 
 
 Some Hew Voyages 
 
 a certain Coat of Arms call'd by the 
 li Homs Greeks || /ipara. The Officers having a 
 nicer talle than the Soldiers, made their 
 Application to the Daughters of the ancient Gen¬ 
 tlemen of the Country, or thofe of the richer fort 
 of Inhabitants; for you know that Canada has been 
 poffefs’d by the French above an hundred years. 
 
 In this Country every one lives in a good and a 
 well furnilh’d Houle; and moft of the Houfes are of 
 Wood, and two Stories high. Their Chimnies are 
 very large, by reafon of the prodigious Fires they 
 make to guard themfelves from the Cold, which is 
 there beyond all meafure, from the Month of De¬ 
 cember, to that of dpril. During that lpace of 
 time, the River is always frozen over, notwith- 
 uanding the flowing and ebbing of the Sea; and 
 the Snow upon the ground, is three or four foot 
 deep ; which is very ftrange in a Country that lies 
 in the Latitude of forty feven Degrees, and fome 
 odd Minutes. Moft People impute the extraordinary 
 snow to the number of Mountains, with which 
 f ; ,is Continent is replenish’d. Whatever is in 
 tnat matter, I muft take notice of one thing, that 
 teems very ftrange, namely, that the Summer days 
 longer here than at Paris. The Weather is then 
 lo clear and ferene, that in three Weeks time you 
 1 ictll not fee a v Joud in the Horizon. I hope to go 
 to Quebec with the firft opportunity ; for 1 have or¬ 
 der* to be in a readinefs to imbarque within fifteen 
 days for Monreal, which is the City of this Coun¬ 
 try, that lies fanheft up towards the Head of the 
 River. 
 
 I am, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours, &c. 
 
 LET- 
 
to North America. 
 
 1 1 
 
 ,l Containing an ample Defcription of the City of 
 
 LETTER Ilf. 
 Dated at Quebec May if. 1684. 
 
 kg Quebec, and of the IJland of Orleans. 
 
 nisi 
 
 ni SIR, 
 
 T~> Efore Ifet out for Monreal, I had the curiofity 
 M 13 to view the Illand of Orleans, winch is fevcn 
 k Leagues in length, and three in breadth : It ex- 
 m tends from over againit Cape Tourmente, to within 
 dji a League and a half of Quebec, at which place the 
 ad River divides it felf into two branches. The Ships 
 iki fail through the South Channel ; for the North 
 id Channel is fo foul with Shelves and Rocks, that 
 sfc the fmall Boats can only pafs that way. The Ifland 
 it belongs to a General Farmer of France, who would 
 rji make out of it a thoufand Crowns of yearly Rent, 
 aj: if himl'elf had the management of it. ’Tis fur- 
 id rounded with Plantations, that produce all forts of 
 IK Grain. 
 
 j*i Quebec js the Metropolitan of New-France, being 
 Ki almoft a League in Circumference ; It lies in the 
 ks: Latitude of 47 Degrees, and 12 Minutes. The 
 ft Longitude of this place is uncertain, as well as that 
 iCa feveral other Countries, with the leave of the 
 of Geographers, that reckon you up 1200 Leagues 
 from Rochel to Quebec, without taking the pains to 
 meafure the Courfe: However, I am fure that it 
 lies but at too great a ditfance from France, for the 
 Ships that are bound hither; For their paflage com¬ 
 monly lafts for two Months and a half, whereas 
 the homeward bound Ships may in 50 or 40 days 
 failing, cafily make the Belle Ills, which is the fu- 
 
 reft 
 

 i z Some New Voyages 
 
 reft and moft ufual Land,, that a Ship makes upon 
 a long Voyage. The reafon of this difference, is, 
 that the Winds are Eafterly for ioo days of the 
 year, and Wefterly for 260. 
 
 Quebec is divided into the upper and the lower Ci¬ 
 ty. The Merchants live in the latter, for the con- 
 veniencv of the Harbor; upon which they have 
 built very fine Houles, three Story high, of a fort 
 of Stone that’s as hard as Marble. The upper 
 or high City is full as populous, and as well adorn’d 
 as the lower. Both Cities are commanded by a 
 Caftle, that (lands upon the higheft Ground, 
 This Caftb is the Refidence of the Governours, 
 and affords them not only convenient Apart¬ 
 ments , but the nobleft and moft extenfive Prof- 
 pe<ft in the World. Quebec wants two effenti- 
 al things, namely , a Key and Fortifications; 
 though both the one and the other might be eafily 
 made, confidering the conveniency of Stones ly¬ 
 ing upon the fpot. ’Tis incompafs d with feveral 
 Springs, of the beft frelh Water in the World, 
 which the Inhabitants draw out of Wells; for they 
 are fo ignorant of the Hydroftaticks, that not one 
 of 'em knows how to convey the Water to certain 
 Bafins, in order to raife either flat or fpouting 
 Fountains. Thofe who live on the River fide, in 
 the lower City, are not half fo much pinch’d with 
 the Cold, as the Inhabitants of the upper; befides 
 char the former have a peculiar conveniency of 
 tranfporting in Boats, Corn, Wood, and other Ne- 
 seiFaries, to the very Doors of their Houfes: But 
 as the latter are more expofs’d to the injuries of 
 <he Cold, fo they in joy the benefit and pleafurc of 
 a cooler Summer. The way which leads from the 
 one City to the other is pretty broad, and adorn’d 
 with Houfes on each fide; only ? cis a little deep. 
 Q uebe * ftandsupon a very uneven Ground; and its 
 Houfes are not uniform. The Intendant lives in a 
 
 bottom, 
 
k to North- America. » J 
 
 [«i bottom, at fome fmall diftance from the fide of a 
 si little River, which by joyning the River of St. 
 
 Laurence, coops up the City in a right Angle. His 
 owr Houfe is the Palace in which the Soveraign Coun- 
 k cil aifembles four times a Week; and on one fide 
 ; of which, we fee great Magazines of Ammuniti¬ 
 on on and Provifions. There are fix Churches in the 
 i;r the High City: The Cathedral confifts of a Bifhop, 
 Ik and twelve Prebendaries, who live in common in 
 Id: the Chapter-Houfe, the Magnificence and Archi¬ 
 ng tedure of which is truly wonderful. Thefe poor 
 !#1 Priefts are a very good fort of People; they con- 
 j, tent themfelves with bare Neceffaries, and meddle 
 with nothing but the Affairs of the Church, where 
 jj the Service is perform’d after the Roman way. The 
 iecond Church is that of thejefuits, which ftands 
 in the Center of the City ; and is a fair, ftately,and 
 y, well lighted Edifice. The great Altar of the Je- 
 , [j fuits Church, is adorn’d with four great Cylindrical 
 r. Columns of one Stone; The Stone being a fort of 
 L, Canada Porphyry, and black as Jet, without either 
 ' Spots or Veins. Thefe Fathers have very conveni- 
 C ; ent and large Apartments, beautify’d with plea- 
 fant Gardens, and feveral rows of Trees, which are 
 fo thick and buftiy, that in Summer one might 
 >i' ( take their Walks for an Ice-Houfe: And indeed 
 we may fay without ftretching, that there is Ice 
 not far from ’em, for the good Fathers are never 
 without a referve in two or three places, for the 
 cooling of their Drink. Their College is fo fmall, 
 that at the belt they have fcarce fifty Scholars at a 
 time. The third Church is that of the Recolle&s, 
 who, through the interceffion of Count Frontenac, 
 obtain’d leave of the King to build a little Chap- 
 pel ( which I call a Church;) notwithstanding the 
 Remonftrances of Mr. de Laval our Bilhop, who, in 
 concert with the Jefuits, us’d his utmoft Efforts for 
 ten years together to hinder it. Before the build - 
 
 ,r ' ing 
 
*4 Some New Voyages 
 
 in£ of this Chappel, they liv'd in a little Hofpital 
 that the B’ftiop had order'd to be built for ’em • 
 and fome of ’em continue there (till The fourth 
 Cliurd) is that ot the Urjelines, which has been 
 burn d down two or three times, and ftill rebuilt to 
 the Advantage. Tire fifth is that of the Holpiral- 
 Order, who take a particular Care of the Sick 
 tho themfelves are poor, and but ill lodg’d. 
 
 •See'.he Ex. The Soveraign Council is held at Q,, e . 
 tj c.i-.im " y c - If confifts of twelve Counfellors of 
 Ta& h- Capa y de fpada , who are the fupream 
 
 Judicature, and decide all Caufes with- 
 out Appeal. The Intendam claims a Right of be- 
 ing Prefident to the Council; but in the Juftice- 
 Hall the Governour-General places himfelf fo as to 
 race him, the Judges being feton both fides of them: 
 
 win wo , uId think the y are both Presents, 
 
 vnne Monjieur de Frontcnac was in Canada, he laugh’d 
 
 , Ponded Precedency of the Intendams; 
 nay he ufed the Members of that Aflembly as 
 roughly as Cromwell did the Parliament of Em. 
 land. At this Court every one pleads his own Caufe, 
 tor bolhcitors or Barrifters never appear there: by 
 which means it comes to pafs, that Law-Suits are 
 quic^.y Drought to a Period, without demanding 
 ^ourt l ees or any other Charges from the contend- 
 ing arties. 1 he Judges, wlio have but four hun- 
 
 Gtil or erS 3 Yea • tro ? Che 3 Dtfpen. 
 
 at.on of not wearing the Robe and the Cap. fie- 
 
 fides this Tribunal, we have in this Country a lieu¬ 
 tenant-General, hot!, Civil and Military, an Attor- 
 
 inEyK™* 1 ' cheGreac Provofi, and a Chief Juftice 
 
 The way of travelling, in the Winter, whether 
 n Town or Country, is that of Sledges drawn by 
 
 »h -V Cok Lt' 
 
 W, lland in the Snow opto theh'S.'Tn the 
 
 midft 
 
Hi midft of a Wood, without ever offering to go near 
 for their Owner’s Houfe. In the Winter-time they 
 aej. travel from Quebec to Monreal upon the Ice, the 
 bi R» v er being then frozen over ; and upon that oc- 
 cxi cafion thefe Sledges will run you fifteen Leagues a 
 [y day. Others have their Sledges drawn by two Ma- 
 ttc', ftilf Dogs, but then they are longer by the way. 
 !. As for their way of travelling in Summer, I fhall 
 li t : tranfmit you an Account of it, when I come to 
 (& be better inform’d. I am told that the People of 
 Up this'Country will go a thoufand Leagues in Ca¬ 
 fe, nows of Bark ; a Dcfcription of which you may 
 y expeft, as foon as I have made ufe of ’em. The 
 ,i Eafterly Winds prevail here commonly in the Spring 
 f 0 . and Autumn; and the Wefterly have the Afcen- 
 ^ dant in Winter and Summer. Adieu Sir: 1 muft 
 now make an end of my Letter, for my Matter be- 
 1 . gins to run fhort. All I can fay, is, that as foon 
 t L as I am better inftrutftsd in what relates to theCom- 
 _ merce, and the Civil and Ecclefiaftical Govern- 
 j ment of the Country, I’ll tranfmit you fuch ex- 
 ^ a<ft Memoirs of the fame, as fhall give you full 
 fatisfa< 5 tion. Thefe you may expert with the fiift 
 Opportunity; for in all Appearance our Troops 
 will return after the Conclufion of the Campaign 
 that we are now going to make in the Country of 
 )IU the Ircyuefe, under the Command of Monfieur de la 
 f- Bane. In feven or eight Days time I mean to itn- 
 : bark for Monreal ; and in the mean time am going 
 V to make a Progrefs to the Villages of Scilltri, of 
 *, $ aut de la Cbaudiere , and of Lorete, which are inhabi- 
 . ted by the Abenaki s and the Hurons. Thefe Places are 
 not above three or four Leagues off; fo that I may 
 return with eafe next Week. As for the Manners 
 of the People, I cannot pretend to deferibe ’em fo 
 foon ; for a juft Obfervation and Knowledge of 
 thefe things cannot be compafs’d without time. 
 
 1 I have been this Winter at hunting with thirty or 
 
 forty 
 

 forty young Algonkins , who were we!! made clever 
 Fellows. My Defign in accompanying them, was, to 
 learn their Language, which is mightily efteem’d in 
 this Country; for all the other Nations fora thou- 
 fand Miles round (excepting the Iroejufe and the Hu¬ 
 ron) underftand it perfectly well; nay, all their 
 refpe&ive Tongues come as near to this, as the P or- 
 tuguefe does to the Spanijh. I have already made my 
 felf Matter of fome Words with a great deal of Fa¬ 
 cility ; and they being mightily pleafed in feeing a 
 Stranger ftudy their Tongue, take all imaginable 
 pains to inftrudf me. I am. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours, See. 
 
 LETTER IV. 
 
 Dated at Monreal, June 14. 1684. 
 
 Containing a brief Defer ipt ion of the Habitations 
 oj the Savages in the Neighbourhood of Que¬ 
 bec; Of the River of St. Lawrence, <&c. as far 
 up as Monreal; Of a curious way of fifhing Eels; 
 and of the Cities of Trois Rivieres and Mon¬ 
 
 real : Together with an Account 
 of the Conduit of the * * For reft 
 Rangers or Pedlers. 
 
 * Courcurs de 
 Bois. Seethe Rx- 
 plication Table. 
 
 SIR y 
 
 B Efore my Departure from Quebec, I vifited the 
 adjacent Villages inhabited by the Savages. The 
 Village of Lome is peopled by two hundred Fa¬ 
 
 milies 
 
to North-America. \y 
 
 H ndlies of Huronsy who were converted to Chriftia- 
 ■j*t nicy by the Jefuics, though with a great deal of 
 ttti Relu&ancy. The Villages of Sillers, and of Saut de 
 m la Cbaudiere, are compos’d of three hundred Fami¬ 
 ly lies of Abenakis, who are likewife Chriftians, and 
 
 & among whom the Jefuics have fetled Miflionaries, 
 
 it I return’d to Quebec time enough, and imbarqued 
 
 M. under the conduit of a Matter, that would rather 
 
 ild have had a Lading of Goods, than of Soldiers. The 
 
 In North-EaftWinds wafted us in five or fix days toTrois 
 
 »ib Rivieres, which is the name of a fmall City, feated at 
 
 the diftance of thirty Leagues from hence. That City 
 derives its name from three Rivers, that fpring from 
 one Channel, and after continuing their divifion for 
 fome fpace re-unite into a joynt Stream,that falls in¬ 
 to the River of Sr. Laurence, about half a quarter of a 
 League below the Town. Had we fail’d all Night, the 
 — Tides would have carry’d us thither in two days time j 
 
 but in regard that the River is full of Rocks and 
 Shelves, we durft not venture upon it in the dark ; fo, 
 we came to an Anchor every Night, which did not at 
 all difpleafe me ; for in thecourle of thirty Leagues, 
 
 ( notwichftanding the darknefs of the Night J it 
 gave me an opportunity of viewing an infinite 
 ' number of Habitations on each fide of the River, 
 
 ' which are not above a Musket-Shot diftant one from 
 '• l another. The Inhabitants that are fetled between 
 f Quebec and fifteen Leagues higher, diverted me ve- 
 il ry agreeably with the filhing of Eels. At low vva- 
 Jci ter they ftretch out Hurdles to the loweft Water- 
 fr Mark j and that fpace of ground being then dry 
 by the retreat of the Water, is cover’d over, and 
 fhuc up by the Hurdles. Between the Hurdles they 
 place at certain diftances Inftruments call’d Ruches j 
 from the refemblance they bear to a Bee-hive; be- 
 i fides Baskets and little Nets belag’d upon a Pole,- 
 >. Which they call Bouteux, and Bouts de Quievres. Thett 
 j|: they let all ftand in this falhion for three Months irf 
 si € <th§’ 
 
i8 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 the Spring, and two in the Autumn. Now as of¬ 
 ten as the Tide comes in, the Eels looking out for 
 (hallow places , and making towards the Shoar, I 
 croud in among the Hurdles, which hinder ’em af- I 
 terwards to retire with the Ebb-water ; upon that 
 they are forc’d to bury themfelvesin theabovemen- 
 tioned Ingines, which are fometimes fo over-cram’d, 
 that they break. When ’tis low water, the Inha¬ 
 bitants take out thefe Eels, which are certainly the 
 biggeft, and the longeft in the World. They fait 
 them up in Barrels, where they’ll keep a whole year 
 without fpoiling: And indeed they give an admira¬ 
 ble relifh in all Sauces; nay, there’s nothing that 
 the Council of Quebec defires more, than that this 
 Filhery fhould be equally plentiful in all years. j 
 TroU Rivieres is a little paltry Town, feated in 
 the Latitude of forty Degrees; ’tis not fortified 
 neither with Stone, nor Pales. The River to which 
 
 it owes its name, takes its rife an hundred Leagues 
 to the North-Weft, from the greateft ridge of 
 Mountains in the Univerfe. The Algmhns who are 
 at prefent an Erratick fort of Savages, and, like the 
 Arabs , have no fetled Abode ; that People, I fay, 
 feldom ftraggle far from the banks of this River, 
 upon which they have excellent Beaver-hunting. In 
 former times the Irotjue/e cut off three fourths of that 
 Nation $ but they have not dar’d to renew their In- 
 eurfions, fince the French have Peopled the Coun¬ 
 tries that lie higher up upon the River of St. Lau¬ 
 rence. I call’d Trois Rivieres a little Town, with refe¬ 
 rence to the paucity of the Inhabitants; though at 
 the fame time they are very rich, and live in (lately 
 Houfes. The King has made it the Reiidence of 
 a Governor, who would die for Hunger, if he 
 did not trade with the Natives for Beavers,' when 
 his fmail allowance is out: Befides, a Man that 
 would live there, muft be of the like temper with 
 3 or at he rnuft take pleafure ia (cratch- 
 
 ing I 
 
to North* Ame rica. i p 
 
 mg h* s Skin, for the Flea’s are there more nume- 
 j[,j rous than the grains of Sand. I am inform’d, that 
 l* the Natives of this place make the belt Soldiers in 
 *' the Country. 
 
 Three Leagues higher we enter’d St. Veter's Lake, 
 r 8 which is fix Leagues long, and had difficulty enough 
 £ in eroding it j for the frequent Cairns oblig’d us to 
 ui call Anchor feveral times. It receives three or 
 four Rivers that abound with Fifh,* upon the 
 Mouth of which, I defery’d with my Telefcope 
 * very fine Houfes. Towards the Evening we fail’d 
 ‘r out of that Lake with a frelh Eafterly Gale ; and 
 « though we hoifted up all our Sails, the Current run 
 fo ftrong againft us, that ’twas three hours before 
 _eir. we could make Sorel, which was two fmall Leagues 
 fc" off. Sorel is a Canton of four Leagues in front, 
 
 "■ in the neighbourhood of which, a certain River 
 '® ? conveys the waters of Champlain Lake, to the Ri- 
 b ver of St. Laurence, after having form’d a Water-fall 
 ife of two Leagues at Chambli. Though we reckon but 
 hi eight Leagues from Sorel to Monreal, yet we fpent 
 li three days in failing between ’em ; by reafon partly 
 :,1 of flack Winds, and partly of the ftrength of the 
 bf Currents. In this courfe we fiw nothing but I- 
 ffi flands; and both Tides of the River all along front 
 id Quebec to this place, are fo replenilh’d with Inhabi¬ 
 ts! tants, that one may juftly call ’em two continued 
 cC Villages of fixty Leagues in length. 
 
 St. This place, which goes by the name of Villemarie, 
 jtl or Monreal, lies in the Latitude of forty five De- 
 & grees, and fome Minutes j being feated in an Ifland 
 ifc of the fame name, which is about five Leagues broad, 
 
 ;b: and fourteen Leagues long. The Dire&ors of the 
 Seminary of St. Sulpitius at Petris, are the Proprietors of 
 the Ifland, and have the nomination of a Bailiff, and 
 feveral other Magil'rates ; nay, in former times they 
 had the priviledge pf nominating^ Governor. This 
 little Town fits all open without any Fortification 
 
 r -■ * 
 
Some New Voyages 
 
 either of Stone or Wood: But its fituation is fo ad. 
 vantegeous, notwithftanding that it ftands upon an 
 uneven and fandy Ground, that it might eafily be 
 made an impregnable Poft. The River of St. Lau¬ 
 rence which runs juft by the Houfes, on one fide 
 of this Town, is not Navigable further, by reafon 
 of its rapidity ; for about half a quarter of a 
 League higher, tis full of rapid falls, Eddy’s, &c. 
 Mr. Perot the Governor of the Town, who has 
 but a thoufand Crowns a year Sallary ; has made 
 fhifc to get fifty thoufand in a few years, by tra¬ 
 ding with the Savages in Skins and Furs. The 
 Bailiff of the Town gets but little by his place, 
 no more than his Officers: So that the Mer¬ 
 chants are the only Perfons that make Money here; 
 for the Savages that frequent the great Lakes of 
 Canada, come down hither almoft every year with 
 a prodigious quantity of Beavers-Skins, to be giv¬ 
 en in exchange for Arms, Kettles, Axes, Knives, 
 and a thoufand fuch things, upon which the Mer¬ 
 chants clear two hundred per Cent. Commonly the 
 Governor General comes hither about the time ef 
 their coming down, in order to fhare the profit, 
 and receive Prefents from that People. The Ped- 
 lers call’d Ccureurs de Bois, export from hence every 
 year feveral Canows full of Merchandife, which 
 they difpofe of among all the Savage Nations of 
 the Continent, by way of exchange for Beaver- 
 Skins. Seven or eight days ago, I faw twenty five 
 or thirty of thefe Canows return with heavy Car¬ 
 goes ; each Canow was manag’d by two or three 
 Men, and carry’d twenty hundred weight, i. e. for¬ 
 ty packs of Beaver Skins, which are worth an hun¬ 
 dred Crowns a piece. Thefe Canows had been a 
 year and eighteen Months out. You would be a- 
 mazd if you law how lewd thefe Pedlers are when 
 they return ; how they Feaft and Game, and how 
 prodigal they are, not only in thei? Cioaths, but 
 
 upon 
 
to North- America. 21 
 
 !jj upon Women. Such of’em as are married, have 
 
 t*J the wifdom to retire to their own Houfesj but the 
 Batchelors aft juft as our Eafi-India-Usn, and Pi- 
 rates are wont to do; for they Lavifh, Eat, Drink, 
 
 L.® and P ,a y a, l awa y as long as the Goods hold out : 
 
 ! and when thefe are gone, they e’en fell their Etn- 
 broidery, their Lace, and their Cloaths. This done, 
 
 “h they are forc’d to go upon a new Voyage for Sub- 
 w fiftance. 
 
 i hf The Diredors of the Seminary of St. Sulpitius , 
 
 •' take care to fend Miflionaries hither from time to 
 
 * time > who live under the diredion of a Superiour, 
 
 “P that is very muchrefpeded in the Country. They 
 
 * have Apartments allotted for ’em in a ftately, grear, 
 out)- and pleafant Houfe, built of Free-ftone. This 
 k Hcufe is built after the Model of that of St. Sul- 
 P' pice at Parts ; and the Altar ftands by it felf, juft 
 to Is like that at Paris. Their Seignories or Cantons that 
 s,t lye on the South-fide of the llland, produce a con- 
 ltkl fiderable Revenue ; for the Plantations are good, 
 nonit and the Inhabitants are rich in Corn, Cattle, Fowl, 
 ietfe and a thoufand other Commodities, for which they 
 1*1* bnd a Mercat in the City: But the North part of 
 Tki the Ifland lies wafte. Thefe Diredors would ne- 
 :nccf ver fuffer the Jefuits or Recolleds to difplay their 
 
 M Banners here; though ’tis conjedur’d, that'at the ' 
 fow long run they’ll be forc’d to confent to it. At the 
 irfc diftance of a League from the Town, Ifawatthe 
 iffl? foot of a Mountain, a Plantation of Ircquefe Chri- 
 y r if( ftians, who are inftruded by two Priefts of the Or- 
 of | der of Sulpitim • and I m inform’d of a larger and 
 jiti uiore populous Plantation on t’other fide of the Ri- 
 baot ver > at the diftance of two Leagues from hence, 
 dk which is took care of by Father Rayas thejefuit, 
 oldi I hope to fet out from hence, as foon as Mr. de la 
 j;;f Barre receives advice from France 5 for he defigns tQ 
 aadk l eave Quebec upon the arrival of the firft Ship. I 
 life, felolve to go to fort Front cnac, upon the Lake that 
 < C 3 goes 
 
 
21 Some New Voyages 
 
 goes by the fame name. If I may credit thofe who 
 have been formerly in A&ion againft the Iro^uefe, 
 I (hall be able upon my return from this Campaign, 
 to inform you of fome things that will feem as 
 ftrange to you, as they will be difagreeable to my 
 felf. I am, 
 
 S I R, 
 
 Yours, See. 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 Dated at Manual June 18. 1684. 
 
 In which is contain'd a fhort account of the Iro- 
 quefe, with a 'view of the War and Peace they 
 wade with the French, and of the meant' ly 
 which it was brought about. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I wrote to you but four days ago,and did not think 
 to have heard from you fo foon ; but this Morn¬ 
 ing I met with a very agreeable Surprifal, in receiv¬ 
 ing a Packet addrefs’d to me by your Brother. You 
 may be fure I was infinitely well pleas’d, in being 
 given to underftand what has pafs’d in Europe fincel 
 left it. The knowledge of the Affairs of Europe is 
 comfortable tp one that’s doom’d to another World, 
 iuch as this is, and I cannot but acknowledge my 
 felf infinitely indebted to you, for the exa&nefsof 
 your Intelligence. In as much as you require of 
 me an account of the Iroejucje , and would have me 
 to prefent you with a juft view of their Temper 
 and Government; I would willingly fatisfie and 
 oblige you in that, or any other point: But in re- 
 
to North- America. 23 
 
 gard that I am oblig’d to fet out for Fort Frontenae 
 the day after to morrow, I have not time to in¬ 
 form my felf of things, or to confult thofe who 
 have been in the Country before: So that all I can 
 do at prefent, is only to acquaint you with what I 
 have learn’d this Winter, from Perfons that have 
 fojourn’d twenty years among ’em. As foon as I 
 have an opportunity of inlarging my knowledge 
 upon that Head, by a more immediate converfation 
 with themfelves, you may alfure your felf that I’ll 
 impart it to you. In the mean time, be pleas’d to 
 accept of what follows. 
 
 Thefe Barbarians are drawn up in five Cantons, 
 not unlike thofe of the Swifts. Tho’ thefe Can¬ 
 tons are all of one Nation, and united in one joynt 
 intereft, yet they go by different names, viz,, the 
 Tfonontouans , the Goyogoans , the Onnotagues, the Onoy- 
 outs y and the Agni'es. Their Language is almoft the 
 fame j and the five Villages or Plantations in which 
 they live, lie at the diftance of thirty Leagues one 
 from another, being all feated near the South fide 
 of the Lake of Ontario } or of Frontenae. Every year 
 the five Cantons fend Deputies to aflift at the Uni¬ 
 on Feaft, and to fmoak in the great Calumet, or Pipe 
 of the five Nations. Each Village or Canton con¬ 
 tains about fourteen thoufand Souls, i. e. ijoo that 
 bear Arms, 2000 Superannuated Men, 4000 Wo¬ 
 men, 2000 Maids, and 4000 Children: Tho’ indeed 
 fome will tell you, that each Village has not above 
 10000 or 11000 Souls. There has been an Alliance 
 of long handing between thefe Nations and the 
 EngHJh, and by trading in Furrs to New-Tor/;, they 
 are fupply’d by the EngliJlj with Arms, Ammuniti¬ 
 on, and all other Neceilaries, at a cheaper rate than 
 the French can afford’em at. They have no other 
 conlideration for England or France , than what de» 
 pends upon the occalion they have for the Commo¬ 
 dities of thefe twp Nations ; though after all they 
 
 C 4 give 
 
24 Some New Voyages 
 
 give an over-purchafe j for they pay for them four 
 times more than they are worth. They laugh at 
 the Menaces of our Kings and Governors, for they 
 have no notion of dependance, nay, the very word 
 is to them infupportable. They look upon them* 
 felves as Soveraigns, accountable to none but God 
 alone, whom they call The Great Spirit. They wa¬ 
 ged War with us almoft always, from the firft fet- 
 tlement of our Colonies in Canada, to the firft years 
 of the Count of Frontenacs Government. Mejfieurs 
 Je Courfelles, and de Traci , both of ’em Governors- 
 General, made Head againft the Agnies upon the 
 Champlain Lake, in Winter as well as in Sum¬ 
 mer j but they could not boaft of any great Suc- 
 
 C rr S r The ? onl >' bl?rnt ,!lcir Villages, and carry’d 
 off lome hundred of their Children, of whom the 
 above-mention’d hoquefe Chriftians are fprung. ’Tis 
 ?rue, they cut off ninety or an hundred Warriours: 
 but in compenfation for that, feveral Cana dans, and 
 leveral Soldiers of the Regiment of Carignan, being 
 unprovided againft the unfufferable cold of the Cli¬ 
 mate, loft their Limbs, and even their Life it felf. 
 Count Frontenac who fucceeded Mr. Courfelle. per¬ 
 ceiving that the Barbarians had the advantage of the 
 Europeans, as to the waging of War in that Coun- 
 
 K-’i r p E ndl, i. apprel?enn ° nj Ifa y, lie declin’d fuch 
 t u.t^fs Expeditions, which were very chargeable to 
 the King, and us’d all his efforts to difpofe theSa- 
 
 lufcrV finc " re J an , d ,aftin g Peace. This judici- 
 J.^ ernor bad three things in viewj The firft 
 
 hZ partof f he > French In- 
 
 habitants, who would have abdicated the Colony, 
 
 His feco rn i d T° ?T Ce> if , the War had continued, 
 liar? r W2S ’ . thac the conc lufion of a 
 
 d ddpofe , an lohnity of People to mar- 
 p -, and to grub up the Trees, upon which the Co- 
 Iony would be better Peopled and inlare’d. The 
 thurd Argument that diifuaded him from carrying 
 
to Nor*/;-America. 2 y 
 
 on the War, was a defign of purfuing the difcove- 
 ry of the Lakes, and of the Savages that live upon 
 their banks, in order to fettle a Commerce with 
 em, and at the fame time to ingage them in our 
 interefts, by good Alliances, in cafe of a Rupture 
 with the Iroquefe. Upon the confideration of thefe 
 Reafons, he fent fome Canadans by way of a for¬ 
 mal Embafly to the Iroquefe Villages, in order to 
 acquaint them, that the King being inform’d that a 
 groundlefs War was carried on againft them, had 
 lent him from France to make peace with ’em. At 
 the fame time the AmbafTadors had orders to ftipu- 
 late ali the advantages they could obtain with refe¬ 
 rence to the Commerce. The Iroquefe heard this 
 Propofal with a great deal of Satisfaction; for 
 Charles II. King of England, had order’d his Gover¬ 
 nor in New-York to represent to ’em, that if they 
 continu’d to wage War with the French, they were 
 ruin d, and that they would find themfelves crulh’d 
 by the numerous Forces that were ready to fail 
 from France. In effed, they promis’d to the Am- 
 bafladors that four hundred of their number Ihould 
 meet Count Frontenac, attended by an equal number 
 of his Men, at the place where Fort Frontenac now 
 flands. Accordingly, fome Months after, both the 
 one and the other met at thfe place appointed, and 
 fo a Peace was concluded. Mr. de la Salle was very 
 ferviceable to this Governor, in giving him good 
 and feafonable Advices, which I cannot now enter 
 upon, being oblig’d to make fome preparations for 
 my Voyage. When the Campaign is over, you 
 may expeCf to hear from me. In the mean time. 
 
 I am, 
 
 5 I R, 
 
 Yours , &C. 
 
 LET- 
 
Some New Voyages 
 
 26 
 
 ----- " T 
 
 LETTER VI, 
 
 Dated at Monrcal June 2c. 1684. 
 
 Being an ample Defcription of the Canons made 
 of Birch-bark , in which the Canadans per¬ 
 form all their Voyages ; with an account of 
 the manner in ivhicb they are made and ma* 
 nagd. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I thought to have fet out as this day ; but in regard 
 that our Complement of great Canows is not 
 yet brought up, our Voyage is put off for two 
 days. Having fo much leifure time upon my Hands,I 
 have a mind to imploy it in prelenting you with a 
 Ihort view of thefe flender Contrivances in which 
 the Canadans perform all their Voyages: And this 
 will furnilh you with an Idaa of the Voiture of this 
 Country. I faw but now above an hundred Ca* 
 nows, fome great and fome little ; but confidering 
 that the former are only proper for Martial Expedi¬ 
 tions , and long Voyages, I fhall confine my Def¬ 
 cription to that fort. Even the great ones are of 
 different fizes; for they run from ten to twenty 
 eight Foot long. Indeed the leaf! of all hold but 
 two Perfons fet upon their Breech, as in a Coffin; 
 and are apt to over-fet, if the Paffengers move to 
 one fide or t’other : But thofe of a larger fize will 
 eafily afford (towage for fourteen Perfons; tho’ they 
 are commonly mann’d only with three Men, when 
 they are imploy’d in tranfporting Provifions and 
 Merchandize; and even then they’ll carry twenty 
 hundred weight. The iargeft fort are fafe and 
 
 fteddy* 
 
 

to North- America. 27 
 
 fteddy, when they are made of the Baric of the 
 Birch-tree, which comes off with hot Water in the 
 Winter time. The greateft Trees afford the belt 
 Barks for Canows; but oftentimes the Bark of one 
 Tree is not fufficient. The bottom of the Boat is 
 all of one piece, to which the fides are fo artfully 
 few’d by the Savages, that the whole Boat appears 
 as one continu’d Bark. They are trimm’d and 
 ftrengthn’d with wicker Wreaths, and ribs of Cedar- 
 Wood, which are almoft as light as Cork; the 
 Wreaths are as thick as a Crown-piece; but the 
 Bark has the thicknefs of two Crowns, and the 
 Ribs are as thick as three. On the two fides of the 
 Boat, there runs from one end to the other two 
 principal Head bars, in which the ends cf the Ribs 
 are inchas’d, and in which the Spars are made faff, 
 that run a-crofs the Boat and keep it compact. Thefe 
 Boats have twenty Inches in depth, that is, from 
 the upper edge to the Platform of the Ribs; their 
 length extends to twenty eight Foot, and the width 
 at the middle Rib is computed to be four Foot and 
 a half. They are very convenient upon the ac¬ 
 count of their extream lightnefs, and the drawing 
 of very little Water; but at the fame time their brit¬ 
 tle and tender Fabrick, is an Argument of an e- 
 quivalent inconveniency; for if they do but touch 
 or grate upon Stone or Sand, the cracks of the Bark 
 fly open, upon which the Water gets in, and fpoils 
 the Provifions and Merchandize: Every day there 
 is fome new chink or feam to be gumm’d over. At 
 Night they arcalways unloaded, and carried on Ihoar 
 where they are made faft with Pegs, left the Wind 
 ftiould blow ’em away: For they ate fo light,that two 
 Men carry ’em upon their fhoulders with eafe. This 
 conveniency of lightnefs and eafie carriage, renders 
 ’em very ferviceable in the Rivers of Canada, which 
 are full of Catara&s, Water-falls, and Currents: 
 For in thefe Rivers we are oblig’d either to tranfporc 
 
2.8 Some New Voyages 
 
 ’em over-land where fuch obftrudtions happen, or ! 
 eife to tow ’em along where the Current is not over¬ 
 rapid, and the Ihoar is acceffible. Thefc Boats are 
 of no ufe for the Navigation of Lakes; for the 
 Waves would fwallow ’em up, if they could not 
 reach the (hoar when a wind arifes. ’Tis true, the I 
 Inhabitants venture in ’em for four or five Leagues, 
 from one Ifland to another ; but then ’tis always in 
 calm Weather, and nothing is made ufe of butOars; 
 for befides the rifque of being over-fet, the Goods 
 are in danger of being dammag’d by the Water, ef- 
 pecially the Furs which are the moft valuable part 
 of the Cargoe. When the feafon ferves, they carry 
 little Sails; but if the Wind be but a little brisk, 
 tho’ they run right afore it, ’tis impoffible to make 
 any ufe of it without running the rifque of Ship- 
 wrack. If their courfe lies dire&ly South, they 
 cannot put up fail without the wind ftands at one 
 of the eight points, between North-Weft and North- 
 Eaft ; and if a wind happens to fpring any where 
 elfe, ( unlefs it comes from the Land which they 
 coaft along ) they are oblig’d to put in to the fhoar 
 with all poflible expedition, and unload the Boat 
 out of hand, till fuch time as a calm returns. 
 
 As for the working of thefe Boats, the Canow- 
 Men ply fometimes on their Knees, namely, when 
 they run down the fmall Water-falls; fometimes 
 ftanding, when they ftem a Current by fetting 
 the Boat along with Poles; and fometimes fitting, 
 'Viz,, in frnooth and ftagnating water. The Oars 
 they make ufe of are made of Maple-wood, and 
 ?heir form is reprefented in the annex’d Cutt. 
 The Blade of the Oar is twenty Inches long, fix 
 Inches broad, and four Lines thick : The Handle is 
 about three Foot long, and as big as a Pigeons Egg. 
 When they have occafion to run up againft rapid 
 Currents, they make ufe of Poles ‘ made of Pine- 
 wood ; and the fetting of tire Boat along with thefc, 
 
to Nort£-America. 29 
 
 is what they call Piquer de fond. The Canowsliave 
 neither Stern nor Prow, for they run to a point at 
 both ends: Neither have they Keels, Nails or Peg*, 
 in the whole Structure. The Steerfman, or he who 
 Conns the Boat, rows without interruption as well 
 as the reft. The common purchafe of fuch a Boat 
 is eighty Crowns; but it do's not laft above five 
 or fix years. 
 
 This day I have receiv’d advice, that Mr. de la 
 Barre has rais’d the Militia in the neighbourhood of 
 Quebec, and that the Governor of this Ifland has re¬ 
 ceiv’d orders to have that of the adjacent Cantons in 
 readinefs to march. I am, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 Dated at Monreal Novemb. 2. 1684. 
 
 Defer thing the Courfe of the River of St. Laurence, 
 from Monreal to the firfi great Lake of Cana¬ 
 da; with the Waterfalls, Qatar alls, and Navi¬ 
 gation of that River: As alfo Fort Frontenac, 
 and the Advantages that accrue from it. To¬ 
 gether with a Circumftantial account of the 
 Expedition of Mr. de la Barre, the Governor- 
 General againft the Iroquefe ; the Speeches he 
 made, the Replies he receiv'd, and the final 
 Accommodation of the difference. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 T Hank God I have fini/h’d this Campaign, and 
 am now return’d in fafety to this place. To 
 prefent you with the Hiftory of our Campaign, be 
 
 pieas’d 
 
jo Some New Voyages 
 
 pleas’d to know that in two or three days after the 
 date of my laft, 1 imbarqu’d on board of a Ga- 
 now that was woik’d by three expert Canow-Men. 
 Every Canow contain’d two Soldiers j and we all 
 row’d up againlt the Current of the Rivec- till we 
 arriv’d at Saut de St. Louts, about three Leagues a- 
 bove this Town, which is a little Water-fall, but 
 fo rapid, that our Watermen were forc’d to hand 
 in the water up to their Middle, in order to drag 
 the Canows againft the Stream for half a quarter 
 of a League. We reimbarqu’d above this Pafs, and 
 row’d about twelve Leagues up the River, and thro’ 
 the Lake of St. Louis, till we arriv’d at a place call’d 
 the Cafcades , where we were forc’d to turn out and 
 carry our Roats and Baggage over-land, about half 
 a quarter of a League. ’Lis true, we might have 
 tow’d our Boats againft the Stream in this place 
 with fome labour; but there was a Catarad a little 
 above it, which they call le Cdtaraffe du Trou. I had 
 taken up a notion that the only difficulty of fail¬ 
 ing up the River, conlifted in the trouble of Land- 
 carriage ; but when I came to be a Spectator of 
 the matter, I found that the ftemming of the Cur- 
 rents whether in towingof the Canows, or in fet- 
 " n § them ^ong with Poles, was equally laborious. 
 About five or fix Leagues higher we came to the 
 v ater-falls calld Sants des Cedres, and du BuiJJon, 
 where we were forc’d to tranfport our Boats five 
 hundred paces over Land. Some Leagues above 
 that, vve enter’d the Lake of St. Francis, which is 
 laid to be twenty Leagues in Circumference: and 
 having crofsdit, met with as ftrong Currents as 
 before particularly at a fall call’d Lon? Saut , where 
 we had recourfe to Land-carriage for half a League. 
 
 .1 hen we were fore d to drag up the Boats againft the 
 *ap.d Stream; and after a great deal of fatigue cam* 
 at hit to a I afs call d la Galete , from whence we had 
 but twenty Leagues failing to Fort Frmtnac. This 
 
 Paf? 
 
to North- America, 21 
 
 Pals was the laft difficulty we had to furmount j for 
 above it the water was as ftill as that of a Pool, and 
 then our Watermen ply’d with their Oars in ftead 
 of Poles. 
 
 The Maringouins , which we call Midges, are urt- 
 fufferably troublefom in all the Countries of Cana¬ 
 da. We were haunted with fuch clouds of ’em, that 
 we thought to be eat up; and fmoaking being the 
 only Artifice that could keep ’em off, the Remedy 
 was worfe than the Difeafe : In the Night-time the 
 People fhelter themfelves from ’em in Bowers or 
 Arbours, made after the following manner. They 
 drive into the Ground Stakes or little branches of 
 Trees, at a certain diftance one from another, lo as 
 to form a femicircular Figure; in which they put a 
 Quilt a nd Bedcloaths, covering it above with a large 
 Sheet that falls down to the Ground on all fides, and 
 fo hinders the Infers to enter. 
 
 We landed at Fort Frontenac after twenty days 
 failing j and immediately upon our arrival, Mr. 
 Data our Commander in chief, view’d the Fortifi¬ 
 cations of the place, and three large Barques that 
 lay at Anchor in the Port. We repair’d the Forti¬ 
 fications in a very little time, and fitted up the three 
 Barques. This Fort was a Square, confifting of large 
 Curtains flanked with four little Bafiions $ thefe 
 Flanks had but two Battlements, and the Walls were 
 Jo low, that one might eafily climb upon ’em with¬ 
 out a Ladder. After Mr. de la Salle concluded the 
 Peace with the Iroquefe, the King bellow’d upon him 
 and his Heirs the property of this place: but he 
 was fo negligent, that inftead of enriching himfelf 
 by the Commerce it might have afforded, he was 
 confiderably out of pocket upon it. To my mind 
 thts Fort is fituated very advantageoufly for a Trade 
 with the five Iroquefe Nations: For their Villages lye 
 in the Neighbourhood of the Lake , upon which 
 they may tranfport their Furs in Cancws with more 
 
 eale. 
 
32 Some ‘Hew Voyages 
 
 eafe, than they can carry ’em over-land to New- 
 Tork. In time of War I take it to be indefenlible • 
 for the Catarads and Currents of the River are fuels, 
 that fifty Iroquefe may there flop five hundred Frml 
 without any other Arms but Stones. Do but con- 
 fider, Sir, that for twenty Leagues together the 
 River is fo rapid, that we dare not fet the Canow 
 four paces off the fhoar; Befides, Canada being no¬ 
 thing but a Forreft, as I intimated above, ’tis in- 
 poffible to travel there without falling every foot 
 in to Ambufcades, efpecially upon the banks of this 
 River, which are lin’d with thick Woods, that ren¬ 
 der ’em inacceflible. None but the Savages can skip 
 from Rock to Rock, and fcour thro’ the Thickets,as 
 if ’twere an open Field. If we were capable of 
 fuch Adventures, we might march five or fix hun- 
 dred Men by Land to guard the Canows that carry 
 the Provifions; but at the fame time ’tis to be con- 
 fider’d, that before they arriv’d at the Fort, they 
 would confume more Provifions than the Canows 
 t.an carry ; Not to mention that the Iroyttefe would 
 irili out-number em. As to the particulars relating 
 to the Fort, I /hall take notice of ’em when I come 
 to give a general defcription of New- France. 
 
 While we continued at Fort Frontenac, the Irocju/t 
 who live at Gaveoujje and Qucnte, at the diftanceof 
 leven or eight Leagues horn thence, threw in upon 
 us Harts, Roe-bucks, Turkeys and Fi/h; in ex¬ 
 change for Needles, Knives, Powder and Ball. To¬ 
 wards the end of Augujl Mr. de la Bar re ioyn’d usi 
 but he was dangeroufly ill of a Feaver, which 
 rag d m like manner among moft of his Militia; 
 1 ° that only our three Companies were free 
 from Sicknefs. This Feaver was of the intermit- 
 ting kind ; and the convulfive Motions, Tremblings, 
 and frequency of the Pulfe that attended the cold 
 
 rK Yt Wer fh f °r VI0 ^ nr ’ moft of our frek Men 
 dy d in the fecond or third Fir, Their Blood was 
 
to Nortlr America. 3 j 
 
 t of a blackifh brown colour, and tainted with a fort 
 
 *“ C _ _ ■ • I r\ - * 
 
 ... of yellowilh Serum, not unlike Pus or corrupt Mat- 
 ter. Mr. dela Barrel Phyfician, who in my opinion 
 
 I knew as little of the true caufes of Feavers as Hip- 
 ;; pocratesor Galen, and a hundred thoufand befides ; 
 , this mighty Pbylician, 1 fay, pretending to trace 
 
 the caufe of the Feaver I now fpeak of, imputed 
 , it to the unfavourable qualities of the Air and the 
 Aliment. His plea was, that the exceffive heat of 
 ' the feafon, put the Vapours or Exhalations into an 
 f over-rapid Motion ; that the Air was fo over-ra- 
 rify’d, that we did not fuck in a fufficicnt quantity 
 k of it $ that the (mall quantity we did receive was 
 
 • loaded with Infects and impure Corpufculum’s , 
 
 » which the fatal neceflity of Refpiration oblig’d us 
 
 to fvvallow j and that by this means nature was 
 
 II put into diforder: He added, that the ufe ofBran- 
 ■ dy and (alt Meat fowcr’d the Blood, that this fower- 
 1, nefs occafion’d a fort of Coagulation of the Chyle 
 j and Blood, that the Coagulation hindred it to cir- 
 ii cukte thro’ the Heart with a due degree of Cele- 
 
 • rity > and that thereupon there infued an extraordi- 
 li nary Fermentation, which is nothing elfe but £ 
 
 Feaver. But after all, to my mind this Gentleman’s 
 Syfteme was too much upon the Iroauefe llrain ; foe 
 e at that rate the Diftemper muft have feiz’d all with¬ 
 out diftin&ion, whereas neither our Soldiers nor the 
 feafon’d Canadans were troubled with it ; for it 
 raged only among the Militia, who being unac¬ 
 quainted with the way of fetting the Boats with 
 Poles, were forc’d at every turn to get into the water 
 and drag ’em up againft the rapid Stream : Now, the 
 waters of that Country being naturally cold, and 
 the heat being excefltve, the Blood might thereup¬ 
 on freeze by way ot Antiperijlafls, and fo occafion 
 the Feaver I fpeak of, purfuantto the common Max¬ 
 
 im, Omnis repentina mutatio e(t ptriculofa, i. e. All Jud- 
 den changes are of dangerous Conjequence. 
 
 D 
 
 As 
 
de Bois in the 
 Table . 
 
 54 Some New Voyages 
 
 As foon as Mr. de la Bane recover’d, he imbarqa’d 
 in order to continue his march j tho’ he might have 
 eafily known, that after halting fourteen or fifteen 
 days, at that Fort, when the feafon was fo far ad- 
 vanc’d, he could not pretend to compafs the end 
 of his Expedition. We row’d Night and Day the 
 Weather being very calm, and in five or fix "days 
 came before the River of Famine , where we were 
 forc’d to putin upon the apprehenfion of a Storm. 
 Here we met with a Canow that Mr. Dulhut had 
 lent from Mijjilimakinac, with advice, thatpurfuant 
 to orders he had ingag’d the Hurons , Outacuds, 
 and fome other People , to }oyn his Army; in 
 which he had above two hundred 
 SeeCoutems brave * Foreft Rangers. Thefe News 
 were very acceptable to Mr. de h 
 Bane ; but at the fame time he was ve- 
 1 y niuch perplexed ; for I’m perfwaded he repented 
 ottner than once, of his entring upon an. Expedi¬ 
 tion that he forefaw would prove Succefslefs; and 
 to aggravate the danger of his Enterprife, the Ire 
 yue/e had at that time an opportunity to fall upon 
 us- In fine, after a mature confideration of the 
 Coniequences, and of the Difficulties that flood in 
 the way. Ire fent back the Canow to Mr. Dulhut. 
 with orders to difmifs the Foreft Rangers and Sava- 
 ges immediately, where-ever he was, and by all 
 means to avoid the approaching to his Troops. By 
 good luck Mr. Dulbut _had not yet reach’d Niagara, 
 when he receivd thefe Orders; with which theSa- 
 vages that accompany’d him were fo diflatisfed, 
 
 manncr of ,n,,eaives 
 
 nnt S hfV 5 lV I r ; de / a Barre had dif Patch’d this Ca- 
 OnZh’a f ent Mr. le Maine to the Village of the 
 
 dre ST’ S- C xi 3y ; ab ° Ut d § hfeen leagues up 
 
 NarJaZ\\nVf- le a Mo,n , e was a Gentleman of 
 Normand J> and highly efteem’d by the W who 
 
 call’d 
 
to AV/^*America. j e 
 
 ij call’d him Akourjjan, i. e. the Partridge. HlS Orders 
 
 : were, to indeavour by all means to bring along with 
 , him fome of the old ftanders of that Nation ; 
 , and accordingly he return d in a few days, accorti- 
 ' pany’d with one of their moil confiderable Gran¬ 
 dees, who had a Train of thirty young Warriours, 
 ,• and was diftirtguifli’d by the Title of the Grangula. 
 As foon as he debarred, Mr. de la Barrc fent him 
 a Prefent of Bread and Wine, and of thirty Sal¬ 
 mon-Trouts, which they fifh’d in that place in fuch 
 plenty, that they brought up a hundred at one caft 
 of a Net: At the fame time he gave the Grandee 
 to underftand, that he congratulated his Arrival, 
 and would be glad to have an Interview with him 
 after he had refted himfelf for fome days. You 
 muft know that he had us’d the precaution of fend¬ 
 ing the fick back to the Colony, that the Iropefe 
 might not perceive the weaknefs of his Forces; and 
 to favour the Stratagem, Mr le Moine reprefen ted to 
 the Grangula, that the Body of the Army was left 
 behind at Fort Frontenac, and that the Troops he 
 faw in our Camp, were the General’s Guards. But 
 unhappily one of the Iropefe that had a (mattering 
 of the French Tongue, having ftroul’d in the Night¬ 
 time towards our Tents, over-heard what we faid, 
 and fo reveal’d the Secret. Two days after their 
 arrival, the Grangula gave notice to Mr. de la Bane 
 that he was ready for an Interview; and according- \ 
 ly an hour being appointed, the whole Company 
 appear’d as the figure reprefents it. 
 
 The Grangula fat on the Eaft fide, being plac’d 
 at the head of his Men, with his Pipe in his 
 Mouth , and the great Calumet of Peace before 
 him. He was very attentive to the following Ha¬ 
 rangue, pronounc’d by our Interpreters; which you 
 cannot well underftand, without a previous explica¬ 
 tion of the Calumetj and the Colters that it menti¬ 
 ons. 
 
 £) * 
 
 Th« 
 
3 6 Some N ew Voyages 
 
 The Calumet of Peace is made of certain Stones, 
 or of Marble, whether red, black, or white. The 
 Pipe or Stalk is four or five foot long; the body of 
 the Calumet is eight Inches long, and the Mouth or 
 Head in which the Tobacco is lodg’d, is three In¬ 
 ches in length; its figure approaches to that of a 
 Hammer. The red Calumets are moll efteem’d. 
 The Savages make ufe of ’em for Negotiations and 
 State Affairs, and efpecially in Voyages; for when 
 they have a Calumet in their hand, they go where 
 they will in fafety. The Calumet is trimm’d with 
 yellow, white, and green Feathers, and has the 
 lame effedt among the Savages, that the Flag of 
 friendfhip has amongft us; for to violate the Rights 
 of this venerable Pipe, is among them a flaming 
 Crime, chat will draw down mifchief upon their 
 Nations. As for the Coliers, they are certain fwathes 
 of two or three Foot in length, and fix Inches in 
 breadth; being deck’d with little Beads made of a 
 certain fort of /hells that they find upon the Sea 
 fhoar, between New-2or/6 and Virginia. Thefe Beads 
 are round, and as thick as a little Pea; but they 
 are twice as long as a grain of Corn : Their colour 
 is either blew or white; and they are bor’d thro’ 
 juft like Pearl, being run after the fame manner 
 upon firings that lye fideways one to another. 
 Without the intervention of thefe Colters, there’s no 
 bufinefs to be negotiated with the Savages; for be¬ 
 ing altogether unacquainted with writing , they 
 make ufe of them for Contracts and Obligations. 
 Sometimes they keep for an Age the Coliers that they 
 have receiv d from their Neighbours; and in regard 
 that every Colkr has its peculiar Mark, they learn 
 from the old Perfons, the Circumftances of the time 
 and place in which they were deliver’d; but after 
 that age is over, they are made ufe of for new 
 1 reatte*. 
 
to North-America.* 
 
 Mr. de la Barre s Harangue, -was to thispurpofe. 
 
 c ‘ The King, my Mailer, being inform’d that the 
 ■ " ve by"eft Nations have for a long time made 
 infradions upon the meafures of Peace, order’d 
 
 * me to come hither with a Guard, and to fend 
 Akouejfan to the Canton of the Onnotagues, in order 
 
 ‘ to an Interview with their principal Leaders, in 
 ‘ Neighbourhood of my Camp. This great 
 ‘ Monarch means, that you and I Ihould fmoak to- 
 ‘ gether in the great. Calumet of Peace, with the 
 
 * Provifo, that you ingage in the name of the 
 Tfonnontouans, Goyoguans, Onnotagues , Onnoyoutes , and 
 
 ‘ Agnies, to make reparation to his Subjects, and to 
 ‘be guilty of nothing for the future, that may oc- 
 cafion a fatal rupture. 
 
 ^ The TjonnonteuanS) Goyogouans y Onnotagues y Onnoy - 
 \ outes and Agnies, have ftrip’d, rob'd, and abus’d 
 *he Foreft-Rangers, that traveled in the way 
 € Trade to the Country of the Illinefe , of the 
 Qumamisy and of feveral other Nations^ who arc 
 
 * Py Matter's Childreo. Now this ufage being in 
 f high violation of the Treaties of Peace concluded 
 ‘ with my PredecelTor , I am commanded to de- 
 ( ,11an d Reparation, and at the fame time to de- 
 ( dare, that in cafe of their refulal to comply with 
 ‘ my demands, or of relapfing into the like Robbe- 
 . ries. War is pofitively proclaim’d. 
 
 This Colier makes wy words good, 
 
 * The Warriours of thefefive Nations have intro- 
 duc d the Englijh to the Lakes, belonging to the 
 e King my Mailer, and into the Country of thofe 
 
 * Nations to whom my Mailer is a Father: This 
 e they have done with a defign to ruine the Com- 
 ‘ merce of his Subjects, and to oblige thefe Nati¬ 
 ons to depart from their due Allegiance} not- 
 
 ? wichftanding the Remonftranccs of the late Go- 
 
 ^ 3 ‘ vernor 
 
 
Some lSleu> Voyages 
 
 * vernor of New-ronfc, who faw thro the danger that 
 ' both they and the Engli(h expos’d themfelves to. 
 ( At prefent I am willing to forget thofe Adionsj 
 
 but if ever you be guilty of the like for the future, 
 ‘ 1 have exprefs orders to declare War. 
 
 This C.olier warrants my Words. 
 
 ‘ The fame Warriours have made leveral barba- 
 ‘ rous Incurfions upon the Country of the Illinefe , 
 ‘and the Oionamu. They have maflacred Men, 
 ‘ Women, and Childrenj they have took, bound, 
 
 ■ and carried off an infinite number of the Natives 
 ‘ of thofe Countries, who thought themfelves fe- 
 
 * cure in their Villages in a time of Peace. Theie 
 
 * People are^my Matter’s Children, and therefore 
 ‘ mult hereafter ceafe to be your Slayes. I charge 
 
 * you to reftore ’em to their Liberty, and to fend 
 ‘ ’em home without delay ; for if the five Nations 
 £ refufe to comply with this demand, I have exprefs 
 ‘ orders to declare War. 
 
 This Colier makes my words good. 
 
 * * This is all I had to fay to the Grangula, whem 
 1 1 defire to report to the five Nations, this De¬ 
 claration, that my Matter commanded me to 
 
 e make. He vyjjfies they had not oblig’d him to 
 ‘ fend a potent Army to the Fort of 
 MeFsencn ‘ * Cataracouy, in order to carry on a 
 
 Frofltenac. c War chac . Wl11 P ro ^ e fatal to them : 
 
 And vef y m ^ch troubled, 
 
 it it IQ fahs out, that this Fort which is a work 
 ( <**?<*> "iuft be imploy d fora Prifontoyour 
 K\ iiitia. Thefe mifehieft ought to be prevented 
 l y mutual endeavours: The French who are the 
 
 ■ Brethren and Friends of the five Nations, will 
 ^ never difturb their Repofe; provided they make 
 
 the latisradion I now demand^ and prove religi - 
 5 cus pbfery^of their Treaties, I wiih my words 
 
 ■ Wty 
 
to North-Amend, 
 
 19 
 
 e may produce the defir’d effect; for if they do not, 
 
 * I am oblig’d to joyn the Governor of New-Tint, 
 
 * who has orders from the King his Mafter, to af- 
 ‘ lift me to burn the five Villages, and cut you off 
 
 This Colier confirms my word. 
 
 ( While Mr. de la Banes Interpreter pronounc’d 
 this Harangue, the Grangula did nothing but look’d • 
 upon the end of his Pipe: After the Speech was 
 finifh’d he rofe, and having took five or fix turns 
 in the Ring that the French and the Savages made, 
 he return’d to his place, and (landing upright 
 fpoke after the following manner to the General, 
 who fat in his Chair of State. 
 
 c * Onnontioy I honour you, and all *ThUTitle they 
 
 * the Warriors that accompany me do g^etatheGe- 
 e the fame: Your Interpreter has made ^Canada 
 
 * an end of his Difcourfe, and now 
 
 € I come to begin mine. My Voice glides to your 
 
 * Ear, pray liften to my words. 
 
 ‘ Onnontio, in fetting out from Quebec , you muft 
 
 * needs have fancy’d that the fcorching Beams of 
 
 * the Sun had burnt down the Forefts which render 
 
 * our Country unacceflible to the French ; or elfe 
 ‘ that the Inundations of the Lake had furrounded 
 
 * our Cottages, and confin’d us as Prifoners. This 
 
 * certainly was your thought ; and it could be no- 
 ‘ thing elfe but the curiolity of feeing a burnt or 
 
 * drown’d Country, that mov’d you to undertake a 
 ‘Journey hither. But now you have an opportu- 
 
 * nity of being undeceiv’d, for I and my warlike 
 
 * Retinue come to affiire you, that the Tfinontouans , 
 i Goyogouans, Onncntagues, Onr.oyoutes and Agnies, are 
 
 * not yet deftroy’d. I return you thanks in their 
 ‘ name, for bringing into their Country the Calu- 
 
 * met of Peace, that your Predecelfor receiv’d from 
 
 ■fheir hands. At the fame time 1 congratulate your 
 
 P 4 
 
 * Happinefs, 
 
4 ° 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 * burying the c Happinefs inhaving left under Ground 
 Jixe fignifes t the ° Io ody Axe, that has been fo of- 
 Ptace. c ten dy’d with the blood of the French. 
 
 f mull tell you, Onnontio, I am not a- 
 lleep, my Eyes are open ; and the Sun that vouch¬ 
 ees the light, gives me a clear view of a great 
 •iptain at the head of a Troop of Soldiers, who 
 lpeaks as if he were afleep. He pretends that he 
 dos not approach to this Lake with any other 
 view, than to finoak with the Onnotagues in the 
 great Calumet ; but the Grar.gula knows better 
 things, he fees plainly that the Onnontio mean’d to* 
 Knock em on the Head, if the French Arms had 
 not been fo much weaken’d. 
 
 I P erce ‘ ve that the Onnontio raves in a Gamp of 
 lick I eople, whofe lives the great Spirit has lav’d 
 by vifiting them with Infirmities. Do you hear, 
 Om i 0Kt l °> our Women had took up their Clubbs: 
 and the Children and the old Men, had vifited 
 your Camp with their Bows and Arrows, if our 
 Warlike Men had not ftop’d and difarm’d ’em, 
 whmMoueJfan your AmbalTadour appear’d before 
 
 of that* 8 ** Cut 1 Iuve done s 1,11 talk no more 
 
 \ou muft know, Onnontio , we have robb’d no 
 
 rlTct - b r Ut thofe wh ° fupply’d the Illinefeand 
 the Oumorms (our Enemies) with Fufees,with Pow- 
 
 er, and with Ball: Thefe indeed we took care 
 n»r r au ? l Cb A , rmsm5 8 ht have coft us our life. 
 
 S in , tha ft POI ™ is of a P‘ece with that 
 
 of thejefuits who ftaveailthe barrels of Brandy 
 that are brought to our Cantons, left the People 
 
 Our W df - Unk h° U,d knock them in Head. 
 Our Warnours have no Beavers to give in ex- 
 
 thL'iu f rmi *' sy uke lrom,bs »««*; 
 
to North- America. 41 
 
 'This Colier comprehends my word. 
 
 1 We have conduced the English to *Thiy pretend 
 
 * our * Lakes, in order to traffick with e i e f e 
 
 «the Outaouas, and the Huron ; juft as et 1 Laku ' 
 
 ( the Algonkins conduced the French to our five Can- 
 ‘ tons, in order to carry on a Commerce that the Eng- 
 
 * lijh lay claim to as their Right. We are born Free- 
 ‘ men, and have no dependance either upon the 
 
 * Onnontio or thef Corlar. We have a 
 
 * power to go where we pleafe, to con- tC° r h. f uthe 
 
 * dud who we will to the places we re- cUJlJ/f 
 e fort to, and to buy and fell where tfw-York. 
 
 ‘ we think fit. If your Allies are your 
 
 * Slaves or Children, you may e’en treat ’em as 
 ‘ fuch, and rob ’em of the liberty of entertaining 
 
 * any other Nation but your own. 
 
 This Colier contains my word. 
 
 * We fell upon the Illinefe and the Oumamis , be- 
 t caufe they cut down the trees of Peace that ferv’d 
 ' for limits or boundaries to our Frontiers. They 
 
 * came to hunt Beavers upon our Lands; and con- 
 
 * trary to the cuftom of all the Savages, have car¬ 
 ried off whole Stocks, || both Male 
 
 ‘ and Female. They have ingag’d the 
 
 * Chaouanons in their intereft, and en- 'tis a capital 
 
 * tertain’d ’em in their Country. They Crime to de- 
 ‘ fupply’d ’em with Fire-Arms, after ^ aU th f 
 
 * the concerting of ill defigns againft us. segment. * 
 
 ‘ We have done lefs than the Eng- 
 
 f lijh and the French , who without any right, have 
 
 * ufurp’d the Grounds they are now poffefs’d of; 
 ( and of which they have diflodg’d feveral Nations, 
 ‘ in order to make way for their building of Cities, 
 ? Villages, and Forts. 
 
 This 
 
* Interring the Axe , 
 (ignifies the making of 
 a Peace; and the dig- 
 ging of it up imports 
 a Declaration of War, 
 
 Thti Colier contains my vs or 4. 
 
 ‘Igive you to know, Onnontio , that my Voice 
 is the Voice of the five Iroquefe Cantons. This is 
 * their Anfwer, pray incline your Ear, and liften to 
 what they reprefent. 
 
 1 he Tfonontouans, Goyogouans , Onnontagues, Omy- 
 e outes, and Agnies declare, that 
 ‘ they interr’d * the Axe at Cm - 
 ‘ ratony, in the prefence of your 
 c Predeceffor, in the very center 
 * °f the Fort; and planted the 
 f , . ■ * Tree of Peace in the fame place, 
 
 that it might be carefully preferv’d; that ’twas 
 then ftipulated, that the Fort fhould be us’d as a 
 place of retreat for Merchants, and not a refuge 
 ,or Soldiers ; and that inftead of Arms and Am- 
 t munition, it fhould be made a Receptacle of only 
 e Bea\er«Skins,and Merchandize Goods. Beit known 
 t to y° u > Omontio, that for the future you ought to 
 £ take care, that fo great a number of Martial-Men 
 t as £ f ee > be *ng /hut up in fo fmall a Fort, do 
 t not ,hfle ani * choak the Tree of Peace. Since it 
 t took Root /o ea/ily, it muft needs be of pernicious 
 « Xv?. U6 u Ce tqfto P its growth, and hinder it to 
 c ;■ ? de °?th ywr Country and ours with its Leaves. 
 
 « l , do affur e you, in the name of the five Nations, 
 
 , tha 5 ou . r Warnours /hall dance the Calumet Dance 
 under its branches; that they /hall reft in Tran- 
 
 t Thu Pbmfe fgni- e U P°" t,leir t Matts, and 
 
 fits keeping the Peace. . nev er dig up the AX8 tO CUt 
 
 cf,. , qoWn the Tree of Peace; till 
 
 t “ ch c .‘ me f s the Gnontio and the Corlar, do ei- 
 , t er joyntly or feparately offer to invade the 
 Country, that the great Spirit has difpos’d of in 
 the favour of o^r Anceftors, ■ 
 
to North America. 
 
 4 ; 
 
 Uhls Colier contains my word ; and the other compre¬ 
 hends the power granted to me by the five Na¬ 
 tions. 
 
 Then the Grangula addrefs’d himfelf to Mr. It 
 Maine, and fpoke to this purpofe. 
 
 * Akowffan, take Heart, you are a Man of Senfe} 
 
 * fpeak and explain my meaning; be fure you for- 
 
 * get nothing, but declare all that thy Brethren and 
 
 * thy Friends reprefent to thy chief Onnontio, by the 
 e voice of the Grangula, who pays you all Honour 
 
 * and Refpeft, and invites you to accept of this Pre- 
 ‘ fent of Beavers, and to affift at his Feaft imme- 
 ( diatcly. 
 
 * This ether Prefent of Beavers is fent by the five 
 
 * Nations to the Onnontio . 
 
 As loon as the Grangula had done, Mr. It Moine 
 and the Jefuits that were prefent, explain’d his an- 
 fwer to Mr. dela Bane , who thereupon retir’d to his 
 Tent and fiorm’d and blufter’d, till fome body 
 came and reprefented to him, that, Iroca Progenies 
 nefcit habere modes, i. e. The Iroquele are always upon 
 extreams. The Grangula danc’d after the Iroquefe 
 manner, by way of prelude to his Entertainment; 
 after which he regal’d feveralof the French. Two 
 days after he and his Martial- Retinue return’d to 
 their own Country , and our Army fet out for 
 Monreal. As foon as the General was on board, to¬ 
 gether with the few healthy Men that remain’d, 
 the Canows were difpers’d, for the Militia ftragled 
 here and there, and every one made the bell of 
 his way home. Our three Companies indeed 
 kept together, becaufe all of us, both Officers and 
 Soldiers, were carried in flat-bottom’d Boats, made 
 of Deal on purpofe for our ufe. However, I could 
 have wilh’d to have run down the falls and Cata- 
 
 rat^s 
 
44 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 rads in the fame Canow that brought up, for 
 every body thought we fhould have been caft a- 
 way at thefe Pafles, which are full of Eddy’s and 
 Rocks; and ’twas never heard before, that fuch Pre¬ 
 cipices were pafs cl with Deal Boats either upwards or 
 downwards. But we were forc’d to run all hazards, 
 and had certainly been fwallow’d up in thofe Moun¬ 
 tains of Water, if we had not oblig’d feveral Ca- 
 nows to moot the Cataradfs at the head of our Boats, 
 in order to fliew us the way j at the fame time we 
 had prepar d our Soldiers for rowing, and Ihieving 
 upon occalion. Do but confider, Sir, that the Cur- 
 
 f e | 1 r tS n rlln i as r ^ a ^ as a Cannon Ball; and that one 
 xalle Itroak of the Oar, would have run us unavoid¬ 
 ably upon the Rocks; for we are oblig’d to fteer a 
 Zig-zag courfe purfuant to the thread of the Stream, 
 which has fifty windings. The Boats which are 
 
 11 > arC *°? ietimes Ioft in thofe places. But after 
 all, tho the rifque we run be very great, yet by 
 way of Compenfation, one has the fatisfadHon of 
 running a great way in a little time; for we run 
 . ™ G g ete to this Town in two days time, not- 
 withlranding that we crofs’d the two ftagnating Lakes 
 I took notice of before. 
 
 As foon as we landed, we receiv’d advice that 
 the Chevalier de Callicres was come to fupply the room 
 of Mr. Per rot; the Governor of this place. Mr. Per - 
 rot has had feveral feuffles with Mr. A* 
 
to North- America. 45 
 
 falfe; for the poor Man could do no more than he 
 did. Juft now, I was inform’d that Mr. Hainaut, 
 Mr. Montortier, and Mr. Durivau, three Captains of 
 Ships, are arriv’d at Quebec, with a defign to pals 
 the Winter there, and to aftift him as Councilors ; 
 and that the laftof thefe three has brought with him 
 an Independent Company, to be commanded by 
 himfelf. 
 
 I lhall have no opportunity of writing again be¬ 
 fore the next Spring ; for the laft Ships that are to 
 return for France this year, are now ready to fail. 
 
 I am, SIR, Tours, &c. 
 
 LETTER VIII. 
 
 Dated at Monreal, June 28. 168 S’. 
 
 Reprefenting the Fortifications of Monreal, and 
 the indijereet Zeal of the Priefts, who are 
 Lords of that Town: With a Defcription of 
 Chambli, and of the Commerce of the Savages 
 upon the great Lakes. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I Have juft receiv’d yours, by a fmall Veffel of 
 BourJeaux loaded with Wine ; which is the firft 
 that carne to Quebec this Year. I am mightily pleas’d 
 to hear that the King has granted to Mr. de la Salle 
 four Ships, to go upon the Difcovery of the Mouth 
 of the Mijftfifi ; and cannot but admire your Curio- 
 fity, in defiring to know the Occurrences of this 
 Place, and how I fpent my time in the Winter. 
 
 Mr. de Callieres was no fooner poflefs’d of his Go¬ 
 vernment, than he order’d all the Inhabitants of this 
 Town, and of the adjacent Country, to cut down 
 and bring in great Stakes, of fifteen Foot in length. 
 
' 
 
 4* Some New Voyages 
 
 to Fortifie the Town. During the Winter, thefeOr 
 ders were purfued with fo much Application, that 
 all things are now ready for making the Inclofmr 
 in which five or fix hundred Men are to be imploy’d! 
 I fpent part of the Winter in Hunting with the Al. 
 gonkins, in order to a more perfed knowledge of 
 their Language; and the reft I (pent in this Place 
 with a great deal of uneafinefs: for, here we can.' 
 not enjoy our felves, either at Play, or in vifiting 
 the Ladies, but ’tis prefently carried to the Cu- 
 rate’s ears, who takes publiek notice of it in the 
 Pulpit. His Zeal goes fb far, as even to name 
 the Perfons: and fince he refufes the Sacrament of 
 the Holy Supper to Ladies of Quality, upon the moft 
 
 ' gender Pretences, you may eafily guefs at the other 
 iteps of his Indifcretion. You cannot imagine to 
 what a pitch thefe JEcclefiafHcal Lords have ferew’d 
 their Authority: They excommunicate all the 
 Masks, and wherever they fpy ’em, they run after 
 em to uncover their Faces, and abufe ’em in a re¬ 
 proachful manner: In fine, they have a more watch¬ 
 ful eye over the Condud of the Girls and married 
 Women, than their Fathers and Husbands have. 
 They cry out againft thofe that do not receive the 
 Sacrament once a Month ; and at Eafier they oblige 
 all lorts of Perfons to give in Bills to their Confeffors. 
 They prohibit and burn all the Books that treat of 
 any other Subjed but Devotion. When I think of 
 this Tyranny, I cannot but be inrag’d at the imper- 
 tinent Zeal of the Curate of this City. This inhu¬ 
 mane fellow came one day to my Lodging, and 
 finding the Romance of the Adventures of Petrcnim 
 upon my Table, he fell upon it with an unimagina¬ 
 ble fury, and tore out almoftall the Leaves. This 
 Look I valued more than my Life, becaufe ’twas not 
 cafixated; and indeed I was fo provok’d when I faw 
 k all ,n wrack, that it my Landlord had not held 
 me, I had gone immediately to that turbulent Pa- 
 
 ftor’s 
 
to North America. 47 
 
 Bor’s Houfe, and would have pluck’d out the Hairs 
 of his Beard with as little mercy as he did the Leaves 
 of my Book. Thefe Animals cannot content them- 
 felves with the Budying of Mens Aftions, but they 
 muft likewife dive into their Thoughts. By this 
 Sketch, Sir, you may judge what a pleafant Life we 
 lead here. 
 
 The $oth of the laft March the Ice melted ; and 
 the River being then open, I was fent with a fmall 
 Detachment to Chambli: for commonly the Sun re¬ 
 fumes its Vigour here much about that time. C.ham- 
 bli Bands on the brink of a Bafin, about five or fix 
 Leagues off this Place: That Bafin is two Leagues in 
 Circumference, and receives the Lake of Champlain 
 by a Water-fall that is a League and a half in length; 
 out of which there arifes a River that difembogues at 
 Sorel into the River of St. Laurence , as I intimated a- 
 bove in my fourth Letter. In former time; this 
 Place had a great Trade in Beaver-skins, which is 
 now decay’d: for the Soccekis, the Mabir.gans , and 
 the 0 penangos, us’d formerly to refort thither in ihoals, 
 to exchange their Furs for other Goods; but at pre- 
 fent they are retir’d to the Englijh Colonies, to avoid 
 the purfuit of the Ircauefe, The Champlain Lake, 
 which lies above that Water-fall, is eight/Leagues in 
 circumference. At the end of this Lake we met with 
 another, call'd S. Sacrement, by which one may go 
 very eafily to Nav-Tcrk, there being but a Land-carri¬ 
 age of two Leagues from thence to the River Du Fer y 
 which falls into the Manatbe. While I was at Chant- 
 bit, I faw two Canows loaded with Beaver-skins pafs 
 privately by that way; and ’twas thought they were 
 lent thither by Mr. tie la Barre. This fmuggling way 
 of Trade is exprefly prohibited: for they are oblig’d 
 to carry thefe Skins before the Office of the Compa¬ 
 ny, where they are rated at an Hundred aud 60 per 
 Cent, lefs than the Englijh buy ’em at in their Colo¬ 
 nies. But the little Fort that Bands at the bottom 
 
 of 
 
48 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 of the Water* fall, upon the brink of the Balin cf 
 Chambli, being only fingle Pallifadocs, it cannot hin¬ 
 der People to pafs that way; efpecially confidering 
 that the Profped, of fo great a profit, renders the 
 Paifengers the more daring. The Inhabitants of the 
 adjacent Villages are very much expos’d to thelncur- 
 fions of the Iroo/uefe in time of War. Notwithftand- 
 ing the weaknefs of the Fort, I continued in that 
 place a Month and a half, and then I return’d hither, 
 where Mr. de la Barrt arriv’d fome days after; being 
 accompany’d with Mr. Hennaut, Mr. Montortier , and 
 Mr. du Rivau. Much about the fame day there ar¬ 
 riv’d zy or ;o Canows, belonging to the Commit 
 Bov, being homeward bound from the great Lakes, 
 and laden with Beaver-skins. The Cargo of each 
 Canow amounted to 40 Packs, each of which weighs 
 50 pound, and will fetch fo Crowns at the Farmers 
 Office. Thefe Canows were follow’d by jo more 
 of the Outaouas and Hurons , who come down every 
 V ear to the Colony, in order to make a better Mar¬ 
 ket than they can do in their own Country of Miff- 
 limakinac, which lies on the Banks of the Lake of 
 Hurons, at the Mouth of the Lake of the lllimft, 
 Iheir way of Trading is as follows. 
 
 Upon their firft Arrival, they incamp at the di* 
 ltance of five or fix hundred Paces from the Town. 
 The next day is fpent in ranging their Canows, un¬ 
 loading their Goods, and pitching their Tents, which 
 are made of Birch Bark. The next day after, the) 
 demand Audience of the Governour General; which 
 is granted ’em that fame day in a publick place. Up- 
 this Occafion, each Nation makes a Ring for it 
 lelf; the Savages fit upon the Ground with their Pipes 
 in their Mouths and the Governour is feated in an 
 arm d Chair; after which, there ftarts up an Orator 
 or Speaker from one of thefe Nations, who makes 
 an Harangue, importing, ‘ That his Brethren are 
 come to vifit the Governour general, and to renew 
 
 ( with 
 
 
to North-Am?rici. 49 
 
 f with him their wonted Friendship: That their chief 
 
 * View is, to promote the Intereft oi the French, fome 
 e of whom being unacquainted with the way of 
 
 * Traffick, and being too weak for the tranfporting 
 
 * of Goods from the Lakes, would be unable to deal 
 
 * in Beaver-skins, if his Brethren did not come ini 
 
 * perfon to deal with ’em in their own Colonies: 
 
 * That they know very well how acceptable their 
 
 * Arrival is to the Inhabitants oi Monreal o regard of 
 
 * the Advantage they reap by it: Thac in regard the 
 e Beaver-skins are much valued in France, and the 
 
 * French < 3 oods given in exchange are of an inconfi- 
 
 * derable Value, they mean to give the French fuffici- 
 
 * ent proof of their readinefs to furnilh ’em with 
 
 * what they defire fo earneftly: That by way of pre- 
 e paration for another Years Cargo, they are come 
 
 * to take in Exchange, Fufees, Powder, and Ball; 
 
 * in order to hunt great numbers of Beavers, or to 
 < gall the Iroquefe, in cafe they offer to difturb the 
 
 * French Settlements: And, in fine. That in con fir- 
 ‘ mation of their Words, they throw a Purcelairt 
 
 * Colter with fome Beaver-skins to the Kitchi-Okimd 
 t ( fo they call the Governour-General) whofe Pro- 
 
 * ted ion they lay claim to in cafe of any Robbery or 
 
 * Abufe committed upon ’em in the Town. 
 
 The Spokefman having made an end of hi* 
 Speech, returns to his Place, and takes up his Pipe ;, 
 and then the Interpreter explains the Subftabce of 
 the Harangue to the Governour, who commonly 
 gives a very civil Anfwer, efpecially if the Prefenr. 
 be valuable: in conlideration of which, he likewife 
 makes them a Prefent of fome trifling things. This 1 
 done, the Savages rife up, and return to their Runs 1 
 to make fuitable Preparations for the enfuing Truck,' 
 The next day the Savages make their Slaves Carry 
 the Skins to the Houles of the Merchants, who bar- 
 ;ain with ’em for fuch Cloaths’ as they Want'. All the’ 
 
 " abicants of Mowed are allow’d t& traSfecfc with 5 
 
 & 
 
5 o Some New Voyages 
 
 "'em in any Commodity but Wine and Brandy; thefe 
 two being excepted upon the account that when 
 the Savages have got what they wanted, and have "a- 
 ny Skins left, they drink to excefs, and then kill 
 their Slaves; for when they are in drink, they quai* 
 rel and fight; and if they were not held by thole 
 who are fober, wou’d certainly make Havock one 
 of another. However, you muft obferve, that none 
 of ’em will touch either Gold or Silver. Tis a co- 
 rnical fight, to fee ’em running from Shop to Shop 
 itark naked, with their Bow and Arrow. The ni¬ 
 cer fort of Women are wont to hold their Fans be¬ 
 fore their eyes, to prevent their being frighted with 
 the view of their ugly Parts. But thefe merry Com- 
 panions, who know the brisk She-Merchants as well 
 as we, are not wanting in making an Offer, which 
 is fometimes accepted of, when the Prefent is of 
 good Mettle. If we may credit the common Report, 
 there are more than one or two of the Ladies of this 
 Country, whofe Conftancy and Vertue has held oat 
 againft the Attacks of feveral Officers, and at the 
 lame time vouchfaf’d a free accefs to thefe nafty 
 d their Compliance was the 
 Efted of Curiofity, rather than of any nice Relifti; 
 for, m a word, the Savages are neither brisk, nor 
 conitant. Out whatever is in the matter, the Wo¬ 
 men are the more excufable upon this Head, that 
 luch Opportunities are very unfrequent. 
 
 As loon as the Savages have made an end of their 
 Ti ut.k, they take leave of the Governour, and fo re¬ 
 turn home by the River of Outaouas. To conclude, 
 they did a great deal of good both to the Poor and 
 Rich; for you will readily apprehend, that every 
 tody turns Merchant upon fucli occafions. 
 
 iam } SIR 3 Toursy &C« 
 
 C\ 
 
 letter 
 
LETTER IX. 
 
 Dated at Boucherville, OdCob. 2. 1 68 f. 
 
 Being an Account of the Commerce and Trade of 
 Mon real •• Of the Arrival of the Marquis of 
 Denonville with fome Troops ; and of the recal¬ 
 ling of Mr. de la Barre. With a curious De¬ 
 fer iption of certain Licenfes for Trading in Bea- 
 ver'skins in the remote Countries. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I Receiv’d your fecond Letter three Weeks ago, but 
 could not fend a fpeedier Anfwer, by reafon that 
 none of our Ships have yet fet Sail for France. Since 
 you want to know the nature of the Trade of Mon- 
 real, be pleas’d to take the following Account. 
 
 Almoil all the Merchants of that City adt only on 
 the behalf of the Quebec Merchants, whole Fadiors 
 they are. The Barques which carry thither dry 
 Commodities, as weli as Wine and Brandy, are but 
 few in number; but then they make feveral Voyages 
 in one Year from the one City to the other. The 
 Inhabitants of the Ifland of Monreal, and the adja¬ 
 cent Cantons, repair twice a Year to the City of 
 Monreal , where they buy Commodities fifty per Cent. 
 dearer than at Quebec. The Savages of the neigh¬ 
 bouring Countries, whether fettled or erratick, car¬ 
 ry thither the Skins of Beavers, Elks, Caribous, Fo¬ 
 xes, and wild Cats; all which, they truck for Fulees, 
 Powder, Lead, and ocher NecelfarieS. There every 
 one is allow’d to trade; and indeed ’tis the beft place 
 for the getting of an Eftate in a fhort time. All the 
 Merchants have fuch a perfect good undemanding 
 One with another, that they all fell at the fame price. 
 
 £• z But 
 
5 2 Some New Voyages 
 
 But when the Inhabitants of the Country find their 
 Prices exorbitant, they raife their Commodities In 
 proportion. The Gentlemen that have a Charge of 
 Children, efpecially Daughters, are oblig’d to be 
 good Husbands, in order to bear the Expence of the 
 magnificent Cloaths with which they are fet off; 
 for Pride, Vanity, and Luxury, reign as much in 
 Nw France as in Old France. In my opinion, ’twould 
 do well, if the King would order Commodities to 
 be rated at a reafonable Price, and prohibit the fel¬ 
 ling of Gold or Silver Brocadoes, Fringes, and Rib¬ 
 bands, as well as Points and rich Laces. 
 
 The Marquis of Denonville is come to fucceed 
 Mr. de la Barre in the quality of Governour-General; 
 for the King has recall’d Mr. de la Barre , upon the 
 Accufations laid again!! him by his Enemies. To be 
 lure, you who are in France know better than I, that 
 Mr. de Denonville was Maitre de Camp to the Queens 
 Regiment of Dragoons, which Place he fold to 
 Mr. Murcey when the King bellow’d this Govern¬ 
 ment upon him ; and, that he brought with him 
 feme Companies of Marines, befides his Lady and 
 his Children : for it feems the danger and inconve- 
 niencies that attend fuch a long and troublefome 
 Voyage, made no Imprellion upon her. This Go- 
 vernour Ray’d at ftrft fome Weeks at Quebec, after 
 which he came to Monreal, with yoo or 600 Men 
 of Regular Troops, and fenc back the Captains IU- 
 naut, AlontonUr, and du Rivio, with leveral other Of¬ 
 ficers. His Army is now in Winter Quarters all 
 round Monreal. My Quarters are at a Place call’d 
 Boucherville , which lies at the diftance of three Leagues 
 from Monreal. I have been here fifteen Days, and 
 in all appearance ihall live more happily than in the 
 Town, abating for the Solitude $ for at leaft I Ihall 
 have no other oppofition to encounter in the cafe of 
 Balls, Gaming, or Feafting, but the zealous Freaks 
 or a filly Prislt. 1 am inform’d, that the Governout 
 
 has 
 
to North America^ 53 
 
 has given Orders to com pleat the Fortifications of 
 Momeal , and is now ready to embarque for Quebec, 
 where our Governours commonly pafs the Winter. 
 The Savages I fpoke of in my laft, met the Iroyuefe 
 upon the great River of the Outaouas , who inform’d 
 ’em that the Englijh were making Preparations to 
 tranfport to their Villages in MiJJilimakinac, better 
 and cheaper Commodities than thofe they had from 
 the French. This piece of News did equally alarm 
 the Gentlemen, the Pedlers call’d Coureurs ds Boy, 
 and the Merchants j who, at that rate, would be 
 confiderable Lofers: for you muft know, that Cana¬ 
 da fubfifts only upon the Trade of Skins or Furrs, 
 three fourths of which come from the People that 
 live round the great Lakes: So that if the Englijh 
 ftouid put fuch a Defign in execution, the whole 
 Country would fuffer by it; efpecially confidering, 
 that ’twould fink certain Licenfes: an Account of 
 which will be proper in this place. 
 
 Thefe Licenfes are granted in Writing by the Go¬ 
 vernours General, to poor Gentlemen and old Offi¬ 
 cers who have a Charge of Children. They are dis¬ 
 pos’d of by the King’s Orders; and the Defign of 
 ’em is, to enable fuch Perfons to fend Commodifies 
 to thefe Lakes. The Number of the Perfons thus 
 impower’d, ought not to exceed twenty five in one 
 Year: but God knows how many more have private 
 Licenfes. AH other Perfons, of what Quality or 
 Condition foever, are prohibited to go or fend to 
 thefe Lakes, without fuch Licenfes, pnder the pain 
 of Death. Rach Licenfe extends to the lading of 
 two great Canows; and whoever procures a whole 
 or a half Licenfe for himfelf, may either make ufe 
 pf it himfelf, or fell it to the higheft Bidder. Com¬ 
 monly they arp f^ottght at fix hundred Crowns a- 
 piece. Thofe who purchafe ’em are at no trouble 
 in finding Pedlars or Foreft-Rangers to undertake 
 fhe long Voyages, which fetch the moll confiderable 
 
 pj Gains, 
 
54 Some New Voyages 
 
 Gains, and commonly extend to a Year, and fome- 
 times more. The Merchants put into the two Ca- 
 nows ftipulated in the Licenfe, fix Men with a thou- 
 fand Crowns-worth of Goods, which are rated to 
 the Pediars at fifteen per Vent, more than what they 
 are fold for in ready Money in the Colony. When 
 the Voyage is perform’d, this Sum of a thoufand 
 Crowns commonly brings in feven hundred per Cent. 
 clear profit, and fometimes more, fometimes lefs j 
 for thefe Sparks call’d Corn ears de Bou bite the Sava¬ 
 ges mod dexteroufly, and the lading of two Ca- 
 nows, computed at a thoufand Crowns, is a Pur- 
 chafe for as many Beaver-skins as will load four Ca- 
 nows: Now, four Canows will carry a hundred and 
 fixty Packs of Skins, that is, forty a piece; and 
 reckoning each Pack to be worth fifty Crowns, the 
 value of the whole amounts to eight thoufand 
 Crowns. As to the Repartition of this extravagant 
 Profit, ’tis made after the following manner: In the 
 firft place, the Merchant takes out of the whole bulk 
 fix hundred Crowns for the Purchafe of his Licenfe; 
 then a thoufand Crowns for the prime Colt of the 
 exported Commodities. After this, there remains 
 6400 Crowns of Surplufage, out of which the Mer¬ 
 chant takes forty per Cent, for Bottomree, which a- 
 rnounts to 2560 Crowns; and the Remainder is di¬ 
 vided equally among the fix Coureurs de Bou , who get 
 little more than 600 Crowns a-piece: and indeed I 
 mulr fay tis fairly earn d; for their Fatigue is in¬ 
 conceivable. In the mean time, you muft remark, 
 that over and above the foregoing profit, the Mer¬ 
 chant gets 2y per cent, upon his Beaver-skins bv car- 
 r y* n g them to the Office of the Farmers General, 
 where the Price of four iorts of Beaver-skins is fix’d. 
 
 I t e IVfei chant fells thefe Skins to any private Man 
 in the Country for ready Money, he is paid in the 
 current Money of the Country, which is of lefs va¬ 
 lue than the Bihs of Exchange that the Diredor of 
 
 that 
 
S' 
 

 2 Rackets 
 
 
to Ntwtfc-America. 
 
 5T 
 
 that Office draws upon Rcchel or Paris $ for there 
 they are paid in French Livres, which are twenty 
 Sots, whereas a Canada Livre is but fifteen Sols. This 
 Advantage of per Cent, is call’d le Benefice ; but 
 take notice, that ’tis only to be had upon Beaver- 
 skins : for, if you pay to a Quebec Merchant 400 Ca¬ 
 nada Livres in Siiver, and take from him a Bill of 
 Exchange upon his Correfpondent in France, his 
 Correfpondent will pay no more than 500 French 
 Livres, which is a juft Equivalent. 
 
 This is the laft Intelligence I ffiall give you for 
 this Year, which has already brought in a very cold 
 Autumn. The Quebec Ships muft fet Sail in the mid¬ 
 dle of November, purfuant to the wonted Cuftom. 
 I am. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours , &c. 
 
 LETTER X. 
 
 Dated at Boucberville July S. 1686. 
 
 Relating the Arrival of Mr. de Champigni, in 
 the room of Mr. de Meules, who is recall d to 
 France j the arrival of the Troops that came 
 along with him , the curiofity of the Rackets, 
 and the way of hunting Elks ; with a Defer ip - 
 ticn of that Animal. 
 
 $ I R, 
 
 T Hough I have not heard from you this year, 
 yet I will not flight this opportunity of wri¬ 
 ting to you. Some Ships from France are arriv’d at 
 Quebec, and have brought over Mr. de Champigni No- 
 
 E 4 
 
 roua, 
 
csbuk&v 
 
 
 5 $ Some "Hew Voyages 
 
 roua , with feme Companies of Marines. He comes 
 to fupply the place of Mr. de Meules, whom the 
 King recalls upon the unjuft complaints that arc 
 made of him. He is charg’d with preferring his 
 private Intereft to the publick Good ; but the charge 
 is falfe, and he will ealily clear himfeif. I am apt 
 to believe he may have carry’d on fome under¬ 
 hand Commerce, but in fo doing he injur’d no bo¬ 
 dy ; nay, on the contrary he has procur’d Bread 
 for a thoufand poor Creatures, that without his Af- 
 fiftance would have ftarv’d for Hunger. This new 
 Intendant is defcended of one of the moft Illuftri- 
 ous Families of the Robe in France. He is faidto 
 he & Man of Honour, and Fame entitles his Lady to 
 a diftinguifliing Merit: I underftand, he dnd Mr. 
 J)enonviUe are bound fpeedily for Monrealy where they 
 fnean to take a review of the Inhabitants of this 
 Jfland, and of the Neighbouring Cantons. Proba¬ 
 bly, they take fuch precautions in order to fome 
 new effort againff the iroquefe. Laft Winter we had 
 nc new Occurrences in the Colony. I fpent the 
 whole Winter at the hunting of Orjgnals or Elks a- 
 long with the Savages, whole Language lam lear¬ 
 ning, as I have intimated to you feveral times. 
 
 Ihe hunting of Elks is perform’d upon the Snow, 
 with fuch Rackets as you fee delign’d in the annex’d 
 Cutt. Lhele Rackets are two Foot and a half long, 
 and fourteen Inches broad5 their ledges are made 
 pf a very hard Wood, about an Inch thick, that 
 faftens the Net juft like a Tennis Racket, from 
 which they differ only in this j that thole for the 
 Tennis are made of Gut-ftrings, whereas the others 
 are made of little thongs of the skins of Harts or 
 ■ ' ^ the Cut, you may perceive two little fpars 
 
 pt wood, which run a-crofs to render the Net fir¬ 
 mer anq ftiffer. The hole that appears by the two 
 Ratchets, ls t he place in which they put the Toes 
 °t the Foot^ fo that ’tis tied fall by 
 
 ths 
 
to North- America. 5 7 
 
 the two Latchets, which run twice round about the 
 Heel, and every ftep they make upon the Snow, 
 the fore-part of the Foot links into that hole, as of¬ 
 ten as they raife their Heel. By the help of this 
 Contrivance they walk fafter upon the Snow, than 
 one can do with Shoes upon a beaten path : And 
 indeed ’tis fo neceffary for them, that ’cwould be 
 otherwife impoffible not only to hunt and range 
 the Woods, but even to go to Church, notwith- 
 ftanding they are fo near; for commonly the Snow 
 is three or four Foot deep in that Country during 
 the Winter. Being oblig’d to march thirty or forty 
 Leagues in the Woods in purfuit of the above- 
 mention’d Animals, I found that the fatigue of the 
 Journey equal’d the pleafure of it. 
 
 The Orignal is a fort of Elk, not much different 
 from that we find in Mufcovy. , Tis as big as an 
 Auvergne Moyle, and much of the fame fhape, aba¬ 
 ting for its Muzzle, its Tail, and its great flat Horns, 
 which weigh fometimcs 300, and fometimes 400 
 weight, if we may credit thofe who pretend to have 
 weigh’d ’em. This Animal ufually reforts to 
 planted Countries. Its Hair is long and brown ; 
 and the Skin is ftrongand hard, but not thick. The 
 Flefli of the Q rignal, efpecially that of the Female 
 fort, eats delicioufly ; and ’tis faid, that the far 
 hind Foot of the Female kind, is a Cure for the 
 Falling-Sicknefs; it neither runs nor skips, but its 
 trot will almoft keep up with the running of a Hart. 
 The Savages affure us, that in Summer ’twill trot 
 three Days and three Nights without intermiflion. 
 This fort of Animals commonly gather into a body 
 towards the latter end of Autumn; and the Herds are 
 largeft in the beginning of the Spring, at which time 
 the fiie ones are iu rutting; but after their heat is over, 
 they all difpsrfe themfelves. We hunted ’em in 
 the following manner: Firft of all, we went 40 
 Leagues to the Northward of the River of $t. Lati~ 
 
 fence $ 
 
Some New Voyages I 
 
 rence, where we found a little Lake of three or four 
 Leagues in Circumference, and upon the banks of 
 that Lake, we made Hutts for our felves of the barks 
 of TreeSjhaving firft clear’d the Ground of theSnow 
 that cover’d it. In our Journey thither, we kill’d 
 as many Hares and Wood-hens, as we could eat. 
 When we had fitted up our Hutts, the Savages went 
 out upon the difeovery of the Elks, fome to the 
 Northward, and fome to the South, tothediftance 
 of two or three Leagues from the Hutts. As foon 
 as they difeover’d any frefh foot-fteps, they de- 
 tach’d one of their number to give us notice, tothe 
 end, that the whole Company might have the plea- 
 fure of feeing the chace. We trac’d thefe foot- 
 fteps fometimes for one, and fometimes for two 
 Leagues, and then fell in with five, ten, fifteen or 
 twenty Elks in a body; which prefently betook 
 themfelves to flight, whether a part or in a Body, 
 and funk into the Snow up to their Breaft. Where 
 the Snow was hard and condenfated, or where the 
 froft following wet Weather had glaz’d it above, 
 we came up with ’em after the chace of a quarter 
 of a League : But when the Snow was foft or juft 
 fallen, we were forc’d to purfue ’em three or four 
 Leagues before we could catch ’em, unlefs the Dogs 
 happen d to flop’em where the Snow was very deep. 
 When we came up with them, the Savages fired 
 upon em with Fufees. If the Elks be much inrag’d 
 they 11 fometimes turn upon the Savages, who co¬ 
 ver themfelves with Boughs in order to keep off their 
 Feet, with which they would crufh ’em to pieces. 
 
 As foon as they are kill’d, the Savages make new 
 Hutts upon the fpot, with great Fires in the mid- 
 die j while, the Slaves are imploy’d in fieaing ’em, 
 and flretching out the Skins in the open Air. One 
 of the Soldiers that accompany’d me, told me one 
 Day, that to withftand the violence of the Cold, 
 one ought to have his Blood compos’d of Brandy, 
 
 his 
 
 
to Norf/; America. 59 
 
 his Body of Brafs, and his Eyes of Glafs: And I 
 muft fay, he had fome ground for what he fpoke, 
 for we were forc’d to keep a Fire all round us, all 
 the Night long. As long as the Flefhof thefe Ani¬ 
 mals lafts, the Savages feldom think cf Birring ; 
 but when ’tis all confirm'd, they then look out for 
 a new Difcovery. Thus they continue to hunt, 
 till the Snow and the Ice are melted. As foon as the 
 great thaw commences, ’tis importable for ’em to 
 travel tar; fo that they content themfelves with the 
 killing of Hares and Partridges, which are very 
 numerous in the Woods. When the Rivers are 
 clear of the Ice, they make Canows of the Elk-skins, 
 which they fow together very ealily, covering the 
 Seams with a fat fort of Earth inftead of pitch. 
 This work is over in four or five days time, after 
 which they return home in the Canows with all 
 their Baggage. 
 
 This, Sir, was our Diverfion for three Months in 
 the Woods. We took fifty fix Elks, and might have 
 kill’d twice as many, if we had hunted for the be¬ 
 nefit of the Skins. In the Summer feafon, the Sa¬ 
 vages have two ways of killing ’em, both of which 
 are equally troublefom. One conlifts in hanging a 
 Rope-gin between two Trees, upon a Pafs furroun- 
 ded with Thorns; the other is compafs’d by craul- 
 ing like Snakes among the Trees and Thickets, and 
 approaching to ’em upon the Leeward fide, fo that 
 they may be (hot with a Fufee. Harts and Cari¬ 
 bous are kill’d both in Summer and Winter, after 
 the fame manner with the Elks ; excepting that the 
 Caribon’s, which are a kind of wild Afl.es, make an 
 eafie efcape when the Snow is hard, by vertue of 
 their broad Feet; whereas the Elk finks as fart as 
 he rifes. In fine, I am fo well pleas’d with the 
 hunting of this Country, that I have refolv’d tq itn- 
 ploy all my leifure time upon that Exercife. The 
 Savages have promifed, that in three Months time 
 
Some New Voyages 
 
 I fliall fee other forts of chafes, which will prove 
 lefs fatiguing, and more agreeable. I am, 
 
 S I R, 
 
 Tours, See. 
 
 letter XI. 
 
 Dated at Boucherville May 28. 1687. 
 
 Being a curious Definition of the Hunting of di¬ 
 vers Animals. 
 
 
 SIB, 
 
 Y O U complain that the laft year you receiv’d 
 but one of my Letters, dated July 8. and 
 v ith toe lame breath allure me, that you writ two to 
 me, neither of which is come to hand. I receiv’d 
 a Letter from you this Day, which is fo much the 
 more acceptable, that I thought you had been dead, 
 and that I find you continue to give proof of your 
 remembrance of me. I find by your Letter, that 
 you have an agreeable reli/h for the curious Elk- 
 Hunting in this Country, and that a further ac. 
 countof ourother hunting Adventures, wouldmeet 
 with a welcome Reception. This Curiofity, indeed, 
 is wormy of fo great a Hunts-Man as your fdf; 
 but at prefent I miifi beg your excufe as to the Bea- 
 verdmntmg, for I Enow nothing of it yet but by 
 
 In the beginning of September, I f et out in a Ca- 
 
 S!SnK PPn fe - V£r l R ^ erSj Marfiies > and Pools, tint 
 2 °f e . ,n J he Champlain Lake, being accom- 
 pany d with thirty or forty of the Savages that are 
 Very expert in Shooting and Hunting, and periecdy 
 
 Wfll 
 
to North- America. 
 
 Well acquainted with the proper places for finding 
 Water-foul, Deer, and other fallow Beads. The 
 firft Poft we took up was upon the fide of a Marfh or 
 Fen of four or five Leagues in Circumference; and 
 after we had fitted up our Hutts, the Savages made 
 Hutts upon the Water in feveral places. Thefe Wa- 
 ter-Hutts are made of the branches and leaves of 
 Trees, and contain three or four Men: For a Decoy 
 they have the skins of Geefe, Bullards, and Ducks, 
 dry’d and duff'd with Hay, the two feetbeingmade 
 fad with two Nails to a fmall piece of a light plank, 
 which floats round the Hutt. This place being fre¬ 
 quented by wonderful numbers of Geefe, Ducks, 
 Buflards, Teals, and an infinity of other Fowl un¬ 
 known to the Europeans; when thefe Fowls fee the 
 duff’d Skins fwimming with the Heads ere&ed, as if 
 they were alive, they repair to the fame place, and 
 fo give the Savages an opportunity of Ihooting ’em, 
 either flying, or upon the Water; after which the 
 Savages get into their Canows and gather ’em up. 
 They have likewile a way of catching ’em with 
 Nets, dretch’d upon the furface of the Water atthe 
 Entries of the Rivers. In a word, we eat nothing 
 but Water-fowl for fifteen Days; after which we 
 refolv'd to declare War againft the Turtle-Doves, 
 which are fo numerous in Canada , that the Biiliop 
 has been forc’d to excommunicate ’em oftner than 
 once, upon the account of the Damage they do 
 to the Produ& of the Earth. With that view, we 
 imbarqued and made towards a Meadow, in the 
 Neignbournood of which, the Trees were cover’d 
 withthatfort of Fowl, more than with Leaves: For 
 jufl then ’twas the feafon in which they retire from 
 the North Countries, and repair to the Southern 
 Climates; and one would have thought, that all 
 the Turtle-Doves upon Earth had chofe to pafs thro’ 
 this place. For the eighteen or twenty days that 
 we Itay’d there, I firmly believe that a thoufand 
 
 Men 
 
61 Some New Voyages 
 
 Men might have fed upon ’em heartily, without 
 putting themfelves to any trouble. You mull know, 
 that through the middle of this Meadow there runs 
 a Brook, upon which I and two young Savagesfiiot 
 feveral Snipes, Rayles, and a certain fort of Fowl 
 call’d Bateurs de faux , which is as big as a Quail, and 
 eats very delicioufly. 
 
 In the fame place we kill’d fome Musk-Rats, or 
 a fort of Animals which rcfemble a Rat in their 
 fhape, and are as big as a Rabbet. The Skins of 
 thefe Rats are very much valued, as differing but 
 little from thofe of Beavers. Their Tefticles fmell 
 fo ftrong of Musk, that no Civet or Antilope that 
 Afia affords, can boaft of fuch a ftrong and fweet 
 fmell. We fpy’d ’em in the Mornings and Evenings, 
 at which time they ufually appear upon the Water 
 with their Nofe to the Windward, and betray them¬ 
 felves to the Huntfmen, by the curling of the Wa¬ 
 ter. The Pouteraux, which are an amphibious fort of 
 little Pole-Cats, are catch’d after the fame manner. 
 
 I was likewife entertain’d upon this occafion, With 
 the killing of certain little Beafts, call’d Sifflem, or 
 Whiftlers, with allufion to their wonted way of 
 whiffling or whizzing at the Mouth of their Holes 
 in fair Weather. They are as big as Hares, but 
 fomewhat fhorter, their Flefh is good for nothing, 
 but their Skins are recommended by their rarity. 
 The Savages gave me an opportunity of hearing 
 one of thefe Creatures whiffle for an hour together, 
 after which they fhot it. To gratifie the curiofity 
 I had to fee fuch diverfity of Animals, they made 
 a diligent fearch for the Floles or Dens of the Car- 
 caicux, and having found fome at the diftance of 
 two or three Leagues from the Fen upon which we 
 were pofted, they conduced me to the place. At 
 the break of day we planted our felves round the 
 Holes, with our Bellies upon the Ground ; and left 
 fome Slaves to: hold the Dogs a Musket-fhot behind 
 
to North America. 6^ 
 
 us. As foon as thefe Animals perceiv’d Day-light, 
 they came out of their Holes, which were immedi¬ 
 ately ftop’d up by the Savages, and upon that the 
 Dogs fetch’d ’em up with eafe. We faw but two 
 of em, which made a vigorous defence again!} the 
 Dogs, but were ftrangled after a difpute of half an 
 hour. Thefe Animals are not unlike a Badger, on¬ 
 ly they are bigger, and more mifehievous. Tho’ 
 our Dogs fhew’d a great deal of Courage in attack¬ 
 ing the Carcaioitx, they betray’d their Cowardice the 
 next day in a rencounter with a Porcupine, which 
 we fpy d upon a little Tree. To obtain the pleafure 
 of feeing the Porcupine fall, we cut down the Tree; 
 but neither the Dogs nor we durft go near it: The 
 Dogs only bark’d and jump’d round it; for it dart¬ 
 ed its long and hard hair like fo many Bodkins, 
 three or four paces off. At laft we pelted it to 
 death, and put it upon the fire to burn off its Darts ; 
 after. which we fealded it like a Pig, took out the 
 lntrails, and roafted it: But tho’ ’twas very fat, I 
 could, not relilh it fo well as to comply with the 
 aflertion of the Natives, who alledge, that it eats 
 as well as a Capon or a Partridge. 
 
 After the Turtle-Doves had all pafs’d over the 
 place, in queft of their Southern retreats, the Sa¬ 
 vages olfer d to fend fbme of their number with 
 Canows to conduft me home, before the Rivers 
 and Lakes were frozen over; for themfelvcs were 
 to tarry out for the Elk-hunting ; and they imagin’d 
 that the Cold and Hard/hip attending that Exercife, 
 had made me fick of it the year before. tIowe» 
 ver, we had then a Month good before the com¬ 
 mencement of the Froft, and in that interval of 
 time, they proffer d to entertain the with more 
 diverting Game than any I had feen before. They 
 propos’d to go fifteen or fixteen Leagues further up 
 the Country, affuring me, that they knew of a cer¬ 
 tain place that had the moft advantageous fituati- 
 
on in the World, both for Pleafure and Profit, and 
 that afforded great plenty of Otters, of the Skins of 
 which they mean’d to make a great Cargoe. Ac¬ 
 cordingly we pull’d down our Hutts, and having 
 imbarqu'd in our Canows, fail’d up the River, till 
 we came to a little Lake of two Leagues in Circum- 
 ference, at the end of which we faw another great¬ 
 er Lake, divided from this by an Ifthmus of 150 
 Paces in length. We pitch’d our Hutts at the di- 
 ftance of a League from that Ifthmus j and forae 
 of the Savages filh’d for Trouts, while the reft were 
 imploy’d in laying Traps for the Otters upon the 
 brinks of the Lake. Thefe Traps are made of five 
 Stakes plac’d in the form of an oblong Quadrangle, 
 fo as to make a little Chamber, the Door of which 
 is kept up, and fupported by a Stake. To the mid- 
 die of this Stake they tye a firing which paffes thro’ 
 a little fork, and has a Trout well fatten’d to the 
 end of it. Now, when the Otter comes on /hoar, 
 and lees this bait, he puts above half his Body in¬ 
 to that fatal Cage, in order to fwallow the Fiih} 
 but he no fooner touches, than the ftring to which 
 tis made faft pulls away the Stake that fupports the 
 Door, upon which an heavy and loaded Door falls 
 upon his Reins and qua/hes him. During our Pil¬ 
 grimage in that part of the Country, the Savages 
 took above two.hundred and fifty Canada Otters; 
 the Skins of which are infinitely prittier than thofe 
 of Mufco'vy or Sweden. The beft of’em which are 
 not worth two Crowns in this place, are fold ia 
 France for four or five, and fometimes for ten, if 
 they are black and very rough. As foon astheSa- i 
 v«iges had let their Traps, they gave orders to their 
 Slaves to go round the Lake every Morning, in or¬ 
 der to take out the amphibious Animals; After 
 that they cogduded me to the above.-mention’d lfth- 
 mus, where I was furpriz’d to fee a fort of a Park 
 or hence mads of Trees,, fell’d one upon another,' 
 
to North America.. 6f 
 
 and interlacd with Thorns and Branches; with a 
 quadrangular inclofure of Stakes at the end of it, 
 the entry of which was very narrow. They gave 
 me to know, that they u(ed to hunt Harts in that 
 place, and promis’d to divert me with the {hew, as 
 foon as the Inclofures were a little mended In ef¬ 
 fect, they carry’d me two or three Leagues oft, up¬ 
 on fuch Roads as had nothing on either fide but 
 Fens and Marfhes; and after they had difpers’d them- 
 felves, fome on one hand and fome on the other, 
 with a Dog for every Man j I faw a great many 
 Harts running to and again, in queft of places of 
 Safety. The Savage that I kept company with, 
 aflur d me, that he and I had no occalion to walk 
 very faft, becaufe he had took the ftraighteft and 
 the neared Road. Before us we (aw above teni 
 Harts, which were forc’d to turn back, rather than 
 throw themfelves into the Marfli, of which they 
 could never get clear. At lad, after walking a 
 great pace, and running now and then, we arriv’d 
 at the Park, and found the Savages lying flat upon 
 the Ground all round it, in order to {hut up the 
 the entry of the flake Inclofure as foon as the Harts 
 enter’d. We found thirty five Harts in the place, 
 and, if the Park had been better fenc’d, we might 
 have had above fixty; for the nimbleft and lighted 
 of ’em, skip’d over before they came to enter the 
 Inclofure. We kill’d a great many of ’em, but 
 (par’d the Dams, becaufe they were great with young. 
 I ask’d of the Savages the Tongues and the Marrow 
 of the Harts, which they gave me very readily. 
 The Flefli was very fat, but not delicious, except¬ 
 ing fome few bits about the Ribs. But after all, 
 this was not our only Game £ for two days after 
 we went a Bear-hunting, and the Savages whofpend 
 three parts of four of their life in Hunting in the 
 Woods, are very dexterous at that Exercife, especi¬ 
 ally in frogling out the Tranks of the Trees upofi 
 
 * whisk 
 
66 Some New Voyages 
 
 which the Bears Neftle. I could not but admire 
 their knowledge in that Point, when, as we were 
 walking up and down in a Foreft, at the diftance 
 of an hundred Paces one from another, I heard one 
 Savage call to another. Hexes a Bear. I askt ’em how 
 he knew that there was a Bear upon the Tree which 
 he knock’d with his Axe; and they all reply’d, that 
 ’twas as eafily diftinguifh’d as the print of an Elks 
 foot^ in the Snow. For five or fix times they never 
 mifs’d; for after they had knock’d two or three 
 times upon the Trunk of the Tree, the Bear came 
 out of its hole, and was prefently Jhot. The Cant- 
 <la Bears are extream black, but not mifchievous, 
 for they never attack one, unlefs they be wounded 
 or fir’d upon. They are fo fat, efpecially in the 
 Autumn, that they can fcarce walk: Thofe which 
 we kill’d were extream fat, but their fat is good for 
 nothing but to be burnt, whereas their Flefli, and, 
 above all, their Feet are very nice Victuals. The 
 Savages affirm, that no Fleih is fo delicious as that 
 of Bears; and indeed, I think they are in the right 
 or tt- While we rang’d up and down in queft of 
 
 ■fy O ’* **r W1,v * III uutu Ul 
 
 Bears, we had the pleafure of fpying fome Martins 
 and wildcats upon the branches of the Trees, which 
 the Savages foot in the Head to preferve their Skin. 
 But the moll Comical thing I faw, was the Stupi¬ 
 dity of the Wood-hens, which fit upon the Trees 
 in whole Flocks, and are kill’d one after another, 
 without ever oftering to ftir. Commonly the Sa¬ 
 vages Jhoot at em with Arrows, for they fay they 
 are not worth a ffioot of Powder, which is able to 
 kill an Eik or an Hart. I have ply’d this fort of 
 Fowhng in the hJeighbourhood of our Cantons or 
 Habitations in the Winter time, with the help of a 
 P°£,, who found out the Trees by fcent, and then 
 barkd; upon which I approach’d to the Tree, and 
 found the bowls upon the Branches. When 
 the tnaw came, I went two or three Leagues fur¬ 
 ther 
 
to North- America. <$7 
 
 ther up the Lake, in Company with fome Canaclefe , 
 bn purpofe to fee that Fowl flap with its Wings. 
 Believe me, Sir, this fight is one of the greatell Cu- 
 riofities in the World ; for their flapping makes a 
 noife much like that of a Drum all about, for the 
 fpace of a Minute or thereabouts; then the noife 
 ceafes for half a quarter of an Hour, after which 
 it begins again. By this noife we were directed to 
 the place where the unfortunate Moor-hens fat, 
 and found ’em upon rotten molfy Trees. By flap¬ 
 ping one Wing againft the other, they mean to call 
 their Mates; and the -humming noife that infues 
 thereupon, may be heard half a quarter of a League 
 off. This they do only in the Months of April, 
 May, September, and Ottober $ and, which is very re¬ 
 markable, a Moorhen never flaps in this manner,' 
 but upon one Tree. It begins at the break of day, 
 and gives over at nine a Clock in the Morning, till 
 about an hour before Sunfet that it flutters again, 
 and continues fo to do till Night: I proteft to you, 
 that I have frequently contented my felf with fee¬ 
 ing and admiring the flapping of their Wings with¬ 
 out offering to Ihoot at ’em. 
 
 Befides the pleafure of fo many different forts of 
 Diverfion, I was likewife entertain’d in the Woods 
 with the company of the honeft old Gentlemen that 
 liv’d in former Ages. Honeft Homer , the amiable 
 Anacreon, and my dear Lucian, were my infepara- 
 ble Companions. Arifiotle too defir’d paflionately 
 to go along with us, but my Canow was too little 
 to hold his bulky Equipage of Peripatetick Silo- 
 gifms: So that he was e’en fain to trudge back to 
 the Jefuits, who vouchfaf’d him a very honourable 
 Reception. I had a great deal of reafon to rid my 
 felf of that great Philofopher’s Company $ for his 
 ridiculous Jargon, and his fenfelefs Terms, would 
 have frighted the Savages oat of their wits. Fare-. 
 
 Sir, I stti now arriv’d at once at the end of 
 
 $ i tfijjr 
 
68 Some New Voyages 
 
 my Game and my Letter. I have heard no New 
 from Quebec, where they continue to make mighty 
 Preparations for fome confiderable Enterprise. 1 Jme 
 will difcover a great many things, an Account of 
 Which I mean to tranfmit to you by the Ships that 
 are to leave this Harbour in the end of Autumn. I 
 conclude with my ufual Compliment, 
 
 Tours, & C . 
 
 LETTER XIL 
 
 Dated at St. Helens, over-againft Monrcal' 
 June 8. 1687. 
 
 the Chevalier de Vaudreuil arrives in Canada 
 with fome Troops, Both the Regular Troop 
 and the Militia , are pcfied at St. Helens, a 
 a readinefs to march againfl the Iroquefe. 
 
 SIR , 
 
 I Have fuch a budget-full of News, that I know 
 not where to begin. I receiv'd Letters but now 
 f icm Mr. Sent!ay s Office , by which 1 have Advice, 
 that Orders are lent to Mr. Denonvitle to allow me to 
 go for France, upon my private Concerns. No lon¬ 
 ger fince than Yefterday, he told me I fiiould have 
 Leave to go after the Campaign is over. My Rela¬ 
 tions Wi ite, that the procuring of this Leave coft ’em 
 a great deal of pains j and that the fooner I come to 
 Faru, twill be the better for me. 
 
 The Governour arriv’d af Monreal three or four 
 days ago, with all the Militia of the Country, who 
 
 In n j W w C3m ?’ d ^l 0118 With our Tf oops in that 
 Ifiand. Mr. D Amblemcnt has been at Quebec this 
 
 Month, with five or fix fccond Rate Ships, having 
 
 fail’d 
 
to Korth- America.'. 
 
 fail’d from Rachel thither in 28 days. He brought 
 over with him ten or twelve Companies of Marines, 
 who are to guard the Colony while we invade the 
 Iroquefe Country. ’Tis faid, that laft Year Mr. De- 
 rnnvilk fent feveral Canadefe , that were known and 
 efteem’d by the Savages, our Allies, who Jive upon 
 the Banks of the Lakes and the adjacent Countries, 
 with Orders to engage ’em to favour our Del'ign of 
 extirpating the Iroejue[e. In the Winter he made Ma¬ 
 gazines of Ammunition and Provifions, and now he 
 has fent feveral Canows, laden with Provifions, to 
 Fort Frontenac, and given Orders for the building of 
 an infinite number of fuch Boats as I deferib’d in my 
 fourth Letter, for the Tranfporting of our twenty 
 Companies of Marines. The Militia who are in- 
 camp’d in this Ifland along with our Troops, make 
 fifteen hundred Men, and are join’d by five hundred 
 of the converted Savages that live in the Neighbour¬ 
 hood of Quebec and the Ifiand of Manned. The Che¬ 
 valier Vaudreuil , who is come from France to Com¬ 
 mand our Troops, is refolv’d to appear in the Field, 
 notwithftanding the Fatigue ©f his Paffage to Canada: 
 and the Governour of Monrtal is of the fame mind. 
 Mr. de Champigni , the Intendant of this Country, 
 went from hence to Fort Frontenac two days ago. 
 The day after to morrow, Mr. de Denonville means 
 to march at the Head of his little Army, being ac- 
 company’d with an ancient Irocjuefe , that is very 
 much refpeded by the five Cantons. The Hifiory 
 and various Adventures of this old Gentleman, are 
 too tedious to bear a Relation in this place. Every 
 body is apprehenfive that this Expedition will prove 
 as fucceflefs as that of Mr. de la Barre : And if their 
 Apprehenfions are not difappointed, the King lays 
 out his Money to no purpofe. For my own parr, 
 when I refled upon the Attempt we made three 
 Years ago, I can’t but think it impoffible for us to 
 fucceed,, Tif»e will difeover the Confequences of 
 
 F 3 this 
 
*his Expedition; and perhaps we may come to re¬ 
 pent, tho’ too late, of our complying with the Ad¬ 
 vice of fome Difturbers of the Publick Peace, who 
 project to enlarge their private Fortunes in a general 
 Commotion. I lay this down for an uncontefted 
 Truth, that we are not able to deftroy the Iroquefe by 
 our felves: befides, what occafion have we to trou¬ 
 ble ’em, fince they give us no Provocation ? How¬ 
 ever, let the E*ent be what it will, I {hall not fail 
 upon my Return to tranfmit you a Journal of our 
 Actions, unlefs it be, that I embarque for Rocbtl, 
 and deliver it my felf: In the mean time, believe 
 me to be. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Years, &c. 
 
 ... . 
 
 LETTER Xlir. 
 
 Dated at Niagara, Aug. 2. 1687. 
 
 Reprefenting the unfavourable ljfue of the Cam • 
 paign made in the Froquefe Country; the Dif 
 covery of an Amlufcade ; and the ijfuing of Or¬ 
 ders for the Author to march with a Detach¬ 
 ment to the great Lakes. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I T has been a Maxim in all Ages, That the Events 
 of things are not always anfwerable to Mens Ex- j 
 pediations: When Men form to themlelves a profili¬ 
 ng profpedi of compaffing their Ends, they fre¬ 
 quently meet with the mortification of feeing them- 
 felves difappointed. This I fpeak by way of applica¬ 
 tion to my felf; for inftead of going for France, pur¬ 
 suant to the Contents of the Letter I writ to you 
 
 *WO 
 
to North America. 71 
 
 two Months ago, I am now oblig’d to ttraggle to 
 one End of the World, as you’ll find by the follow¬ 
 ing Journal of our Expedition. 
 
 We broke up from St. Helens much about the time 
 I fpoke of in my laft. Mr. de Cbampigni went before 
 us with a ftrong Guard, and arriv’d in a Canow at 
 Fort Frontenac, eight or ten days before we carne up. 
 As foon as he arriv’d, he fent two or three hundred 
 Canadefe to furprife the Villages of Rente and Gane- 
 oujje, which He at the diftance of feven or eight 
 Leagues from the Fort, and are inhabited by a fort 
 of Ircejuefe, that deferv’d no other Ufage than what 
 they met with. Our Canadefe had no great difficulty 
 in mattering them; for they furpris’d ’em when they 
 leaft thought of any Alarm, and brought ’em Prifo- 
 ners to Fort Frontenac, where they were tied to Potts 
 with Cords round their Necks, Hands, and Feet. 
 We arriv’d at the Fort on the firft of July, after the 
 encountering of feveral Difficulties among the Wa¬ 
 ter-falls, Catarafts, and Currents, that I formerly 
 defcrib’d to you in my Account of Mr. de la Bane's 
 Expedition. We were more perplex’d in this Voy¬ 
 age than the former; for our Boats were fo heavy, 
 that we could not tranfport ’em over Land as we did 
 the Canows, but were oblig’d to drag ’em up through 
 the impracticable Pafles with the force of Men and 
 Ropes. Immediately upon our Debarquing, I went 
 ftraight to the Fort, where I faw the miferable Pri- 
 foners in the abovemention’d Pofture. The fight of 
 this piece of Tyranny fill’d me at once with Com¬ 
 panion and Horror; but in the mean time the poor 
 Wretches fung Night and Day, that being the cufto- 
 mary Practice of the People of Canada when they 
 fall into the hands of their Enemies. They com¬ 
 plain’d , ‘ That they were betray’d without any 
 f ground; that in compenlation for the care they 
 ( had took ever fince the Peace to lurnifh the Garri- 
 * fon with Filh and Venifon, they were bound and 
 
 F 4 tied 
 
Some New Voyages 
 
 f tied to Pofts, and whip’d in fuch a manner, that 
 ‘ they could neither deep, nor guard off the Flies • 
 
 * that the only Requital they met with for procuring 
 
 * to the French a Commerce in the Skins of Beavers 
 ‘ and other Animals, was, to he doom’d to Slavery, 
 c and to fee their Fathers, and the ancient Men of 
 c their Country, murder’d before their eyes. Are 
 c thefe the French, laid they, that the Jejuits cry’d up 
 
 * fo much for Men of Probity and Honour? Even 
 
 * crueheft fort of Death that Imagination it felf 
 c can reach, would be nothing to us in comparifon 
 c with the odious and horrible Spectacle of the Blood 
 
 * our Anceftors, that is fhed fo inhumanely before 
 ■ our e >' es - Alfuredly, the five Villages will revenge 
 
 our Quarrel, and entertain an everlafting and juft 
 t Refentmenc of the tyrannical Ufage we now meet 
 
 with- I made up to one of thele Wretches that 
 was about five and twenty Years old, and had fre¬ 
 quently regal d me in-his Hutt, not far from the 
 Fort, during my fix Weeks Service in that Place in 
 the Year of Mr. Jela Banes Expedition. This poor 
 man being Mafler of the /ilgonldn Language, I gave 
 him to know, that I was heartily griev’d to fee him 
 <n that difmal Pofiure; that I would take care to 
 hcVe victuals and Drink convey d to him twice a 
 day, and vyouldgive him Letters for my Friends at 
 Mmreal, in order to his being us’d more favourably 
 tnan his Companions. He reply’d. That he faw and 
 was very well acquainted with the Horror that moft 
 of the French were affe&ed with, upon the view of 
 the Cruelty they underwent; and, that hefcorn’d 
 to be Fed, or us d more civilly than his Fellow Pri¬ 
 soners. Fie gave me an account of the manner in 
 which they were furpris’d, and how their Ancefiors 
 were mahacred; and truly, I do r.ot believe that any 
 one can be touch d with more cutting and bitter Re¬ 
 flexions than this poor Man was, when he recounted 
 the many services he had dene the French^ during 
 
 the 
 
to North* America. 
 
 7? 
 
 the whole courfe of his Life: At laff, after many 
 Sighs and Groans, he bow’d down his Head, and 
 wrap’d himfelf up in Silence. Quaque potefi narrat , 
 reftabant ultima fievit. But this was not the only 
 thing that affe&ed me, when I beheld the milery of 
 thefe innocent Creatures: I faw fome young Sava¬ 
 ges of our fide burn their Fingers with Fire in their 
 lighted Pipes; which provok’d me to threlh ’em 
 foundly: but I was feverely reprimanded for my 
 pains, and confin’d to my Tent for five or fix days, 
 where 1 only repented that I had not dealt my blows 
 in a double meafure. Thefe Savages refented the 
 matter fo highly, that they ran prefently to their 
 Hutts, and flew to their Fufees, in order to kill me. 
 Nay, all that could be done was (carce fufficient to 
 appeafe ’em; for the Difpute came to that heighth, 
 that they would have left us, if it had not been that 
 our Men affur’d ’em I was || drunk, 
 that all the French were prohibited 
 to give me either Wine or Brandy, 
 and that I Ihould certainly be im- 
 prilbn’d as foon as the Campaign 
 were over. However, the poor 
 Wretches, the Prifaners, were carried to Quebec ; 
 from whence they are to be fent to the French Gal¬ 
 leys. Much about that time, the Sieur de la Forcft, 
 one of the Mr. de la Salle’s Officers, arriv’d at the 
 Fort in a great Canow, being conduced thither by 
 eight or ten Coureurs de Bote. He gave Mr. de Dencn- 
 -ville to underhand, that a Party of the Illinefe and 
 the Oumamis waited for the. Hurcns and the Outaouat 
 at the Lake of St. Claire , in order to joyn ’em, and 
 to march with joint Forces to the River of the Tjo- 
 nontouans , that being the place of their general Ren¬ 
 dezvous. He added, that in the Lake of the Hurons 
 near MiJji'umak nac, Mr. de la Durant ax , affifted by 
 the Savages, our Aliies, had taken an Englijh Com¬ 
 ply conducted by fome bocjucje, who had fifty 
 
 thoufand 
 
 || Among the Savages, 
 drunken Perfons are 
 always excus'd: for , 
 the Bottle alt ones for 
 all Crimes. 
 
74 Some New Voyages 
 
 thoufand Crowns-worth of Goods in their Catiows, 
 to be difpos’d of in exchange with the Nations that 
 dwell upon thefe Lakes: as alfo, That Mr. Bulk 
 had taken another Englijb Convoy, being aflifted by 
 the Coureurs de Bois, and the Savages, who had /har'd 
 the former Capture j and that he had kept the Ent- 
 lip and Iroejuefe as Prifoners, as well as their Com¬ 
 mander, who was call’d Major Gregory. In fine, he 
 represented to Mr. de Denonville , that ’twas high time 
 for him to fet out from Fort Frontenac, if he mean’d 
 to appear at the general Rendezvous, where the 
 Auxiliary Troops lent from the Lakes would arrive 
 very fpeedily. The next day, being the jd of Juk 
 the Sieur de la Foreft embarqued again for Niagara, 
 and fleer’d to the North-fide of the Lake. At the 
 lame time we embarqued, and flood to the oppofite 
 flde of the Lake, being favour’d by the Calms which 
 in that Month are very common. 
 
 By good luck, our whole Body arriv’d almoll at 
 one and the fame time in the River of the 2 ‘fonontm- 
 am j and upon that occafion, the Savages, our Al¬ 
 lies, who draw Predi&ions from the mod trifling 
 Accidents, /hew d their wonted Superftition in ta¬ 
 king this for an infallible Prelage of the utter De¬ 
 ll ruction of the Iroquefe: tho’ after all they prov’d 
 falle Prophets, as you will find by the fequel of this 
 Letter. The fame Night that we Landed, wehawl’d 
 our Canows and Boats out of the Water, and feta 
 flrong Guard upon ’em. This done, we built a Fort 
 of Stakes or Pales, where we left the Sieur Dorvilla> 
 with four hundred Men to guard our Shipping and 
 Baggage. The next day, a young Canadefe , call’d Fen- 
 tame Marion , was unjuftly /hot to death. His cafe 
 wood thus: Having travell’d frequently all over this 
 Continent, he was perfe<ftly well acquainted with 
 the Country, and with the Savages of Canada ; and 
 after the doing of feveral good Services to the King, 
 dehr d Leave from the Governcur general to conti¬ 
 nue 
 

 
to Nor//;-America. 
 
 75 
 
 hoe his Travels, in order to carry on fome little 
 . Trade : but his Requell was never granted. Upon 
 ' that he refolv’d to remove to Mew England, the two 
 ■ Crowns being then in Peace. The Planters of Nov 
 f England gave him a very welcome Reception; for 
 he was an a&ive Fellow, and one that underftood 
 almoft all the Languages of the Savages. Upon this 
 , Confideration he was employ’d to conduct the two 
 j Englijb Convoys I fpoke of but now, and had the 
 | Misfortune to be taken along with them. Now, to 
 my mind, the Ufage he met with from us was ex- 
 i tream hard; for, we are in Peace with England: 
 and befides, that Crown lays Claim to the Property 
 of the Lakes of Canada. 
 
 | The next Day we began our March towards the 
 I great Village of the Tjonontouans, without any other 
 1 Provifions than ten Biskets a Man, which every one 
 ' carry’d for himfelf. We had but feven Leagues to 
 march in a great Wood of tall Trees, upon a fmooth 
 even Ground. The Coureurs de Boa, with a Party 
 of the Savages, led the Van, and the reft of the Sava¬ 
 ges brought up the Rear, our Regular Troops and 
 our Militia being polled in the middle. The firft 
 Day the Army march’d four Leagues, and the ad¬ 
 vanc’d Guards made no Difcovery. The fecond Day 
 our advanc’d Parties march’d up to the very Fields of 
 the Village without perceiving any thing, tho’ they 
 paft within a Piftol-lnot of five hundred Tfonontouans , 
 who lay flat upon the Ground, and fuffer’d ’em to 
 pafs and repafs without moleftation. Upon their In¬ 
 telligence we march’d up with equal Precipitation 
 and Confufion, being bouy’d up with the Apprehen- 
 fion that the Iroquefe had fled, , and that at teaft their 
 Women, Children, and fuperannuated Perfons would 
 fall into our hands. When we arriv’d at the bottom 
 of the Hill upon which the Ambufcade was plac’d, 
 at the diftance of a quarter of a League from the Vil¬ 
 lage, they began to raife their wonted Cry, which 
 
 was 
 
7 6 Some New Voyages 
 
 was follow’d by the firing of fome Muskets. Had 
 you but feen, Sir, what Diforder our Troops and 
 Militia were in amidft the thick Trees, you would 
 have joyn’d with me, in thinking that feveral thou- 
 fands of Europeans are no more than a fufficient nunv 
 her to make head againft five hundred Barbarians. Our 
 Battalions were divided into (haggling Parties, who 
 fell in to the right and left, without knowing where 
 they went. Inftead of firing upon the Iro^uefe, we 
 fir’d upon one another. ’Twas to no purpofe to call 
 in the Soldiers of fuch and fuch a Battalion, for we 
 could not fee thirty Paces off: In fine, we werefo 
 diforder’d, that the Enemy were going to clofe in up. 
 on us with their Clubs in their hands; when theSa. 
 vages of our fide having rally’d, repuls’d the Enemy, 
 and purfu’d ’em to their Villages with fo much fury, 
 that they brought off the Heads of eighty, and 
 wounded a great many. In this Aft ion we loft ten 
 Savages, and a hundred French: We had twenty or 
 two and twenty wounded, in which number was 
 the good Father Angeleran the Jefuit, \\ no receiv’d a 
 Musket-mot in thole Parts which Qri<?e~t chole to lop 
 ofly in order to qualify himfelf for inffrucling the 
 Fair Sex without the difturbance of Patfion, or the 
 danger of Scandal. When the Savages brought in 
 the Heads of their Enemies to Mr. de Dtnonville, they 
 ask’d him why he halted, and did not march up? 
 He made Anfwer, That he could not leave his 
 wounded Men behind, and that he thought it pro- 
 per to encamp, that the Surgeons might have time 
 to drefs their Wound, To obviate this Pretence, 
 the Savages offer d to make Litters fo/ the tranlport- 
 ing or em to the Village that lay but a little way oft! 
 But our General did not approve of their Advice; 
 upon which, potwithftanding his Remonftrances, 
 they drew up into a Body, and tho’ they confifted 
 o tea different Nations, agreed in a joynt Refoluti- 
 on of purfuing their Enemy, in hopes of taking, at 
 
, to Nort ^America. 77 
 
 I r r lead their Women, their Old-men, and their Chil- 
 y K dren. Our General being acquainted with their Re- 
 :i- folution, gave ’em to know, that he earneftly defir’d 
 they would reft for one day, and not depart from 
 Hij bis Camp, and that the next day he would burn their 
 ^ Villages, and ftarve ’em to Death by fpoiiing their 
 ^ Crops. But they took this Compliment fo ill, that 
 ^ moil of ’em return’d to their own Country; remon- 
 ftrating, ‘ That the French came out to fetch a Walk, 
 Ijjj * rather than to wage War, fince they would not 
 r * take the Advantage of the beft Opportunity in the 
 c it * World : That their Ardour, like a flaffi of Fire, 
 ^ * was extinguilh’d as loon as kindled: That ’twas a 
 
 * fruitlefs Adventure, to draw together fo many 
 r " * Warriours, from all Parts, to bum fome Hutts of 
 
 * Bark, that the Enemy could rebuild in four days: 
 
 ; * That the TJowntouant did not matter the fpoiiing of 
 , ’’ * their Corn, for that the other Iroquefe Nations were 
 ; * able to fupply ’em: And in fine. That fince they 
 
 * had joyn’d the French twice together to no purpofe, 
 j? c they would never truft ’em for the future, in fpite 
 5 * of all the Remonftrances they could make. Some 
 
 are of the opinion, that Mr. de Dencnvllle ought to 
 have gone farther; and others affirm, that ’twas im- 
 B poffible for him to do more than he did. For my 
 part, I fhall not venture upon any Decifion of the 
 f matter ; thofe who fit at the Helm are mod liable 
 * to be perplex’d. To purfue the bare matter of Fad; 
 r we march’d next day to the great Village, and car- 
 a: ry’d our wounded Men upon Litters; but we found 
 f ;; nothing there but Afhes; for the Iroquefe had burnt 
 ® the Village themfelves, by way of Precaution. Then 
 we fpent five or fix days in cutting down the Indian 
 f Corn with our Swords. From thence we march’d 
 to the two little Villages of the Ihegaronbies and the 
 r Danoncaritacui , which lay about two or three Leagues 
 
 c off. Having done the like Exploits there, we re- 
 i turn’d to the Lake fide. In all thefe Villages we 
 
 found 
 
? 8 Some Hew Voyages 
 
 found plenty of Horfes, black Cartel, Fowl v 
 Hogs. All the Country round afforded usava 
 charming, pleafant, and even Profped. The? 
 refls thro which we march’d were repleniflid It 
 Oak, Wall-nut, and wild Chefnut-T?ees * 
 Two days after we imbarqu’d for Niagara, which 
 lay thirty Leagues off, and arriv’d there in fair 
 
 ♦ day f‘ , 4 s , as the Troo P s h ad debarqu’d, w! 
 imployd em in making a Fort of Pales with four 
 Ba/hons, which was finilh’d in three days. Here we 
 jriean to leave «o Soldiers under the command! 
 Mr. des Bergen* , with Ammunition and Provi/iom 
 for eight Months. The Fort Hands on the South file 
 of the Straight of Heme Lake, upon a Hill: at the 
 
 Z 0 { Y*A tlU l L c k<i faIiS int ° the Lakeof '»* 
 of Mr fn y £h ;/ SaVa § eS 0Ur Allies took leave 
 ot _Mr. de Denenville , and made a Speech afir 
 
 their ufual manner ; in which, among other thins 
 they infinuated, That they were pleas’d to S’ 
 Fort fo conveniently plac’d, which might favour 
 
 w! - Th! a Ih P ° n / ny E * pedidon a gainft the b 
 ^uefey That they depended upon his promife, of 
 
 continuing the War till the five Nations fhouldbe 
 
 either deftroy d or difpoffefs d of their Country; 
 
 fhnnlVrY e t m c ft L der ’ rd r rhat P art of the Array 
 k hnrh W* theF ' eldoutof hand, and continue in 
 cer b ra il^i nter r an ? Summer ’ for that they would 
 Thlt filr d ° thS i fame , ° n their P arc J and in line, 
 S eik o "TS 35 th ? ,r Alliance with was 
 
 T 0 th r Pr0fnifeS the Fr ™ h 
 of hftening to no Propofalsof Peace, till the five 
 
 Nations fhould be quae extirpated ; they therefore 
 
 hop d they would be as good as their Word • efp’- 
 
 a Ceffa "'on of Arms would 
 
 “ d infallibly 
 
 2S ' fY f: rtaifai 
 
 anurances of his intention to carry on the War 
 ■n fp.reof„ll the eiforts of the 
 
to North- America. 
 
 Uvord, protefted that he would profecute this defign 
 ■*'o vigoroufly, that in the end thefe Barbarians fhould 
 ^be either quite cut off, or oblig’d to fliifc their 
 NSeats. 
 
 ® The General call’d forme that very day, and ac¬ 
 quainted me, that in regard I underftood the Lan¬ 
 guage of the Savages, I was to go with a Detach- 
 itment to cover their Country purfuant to their Re- 
 aqueft. At the fame time he allur’d me, he would in- 
 & form the Court of the Reafons that mov’d him to 
 adetain me in Canada , notwithftanding that he had 
 ijprders to give me leave to go home. You may eafily 
 lijguefs. Sir, that I was thunderftruck with thefe 
 {News, when I had fed my felf all along with the 
 jfhopes of returning to France, and promoting my 
 iulntereft, which is now fo much thwarted. Howe¬ 
 ver, I was forc’d to be contented; for the greater 
 ijjPower bears the fway all the World over. Purfu- 
 jant to my orders, I made all fuitable preparations 
 : for my Voyage, without lofs of time. I took leave 
 3 of my Friends, who fingled out the beft Soldiers 
 d-for me ; and made me Prefents of Cloaths, Tobac¬ 
 co, Books, and an infinity of other things, that they 
 H could fpare without any inconveniency, becaufe 
 |j they were then upon their return to the Colony, 
 J which affords every thing that one can defire. By 
 ■ good luck, I brought my Aftrolabe with me from 
 Momeal, which will enable me to take the Latitudes 
 . of this Lake, and to make feveral other ufeful Ob- 
 fervations: for in all appearance, I lhall be out two 
 years or fuch a matter. The Men of my Detach¬ 
 ment are brisk proper fellows, and my Canows are 
 both new and large. I am to go along with Mr, 
 Dalhitt, a Lions Gentleman, who is a Perfon of 
 great Merit, and has done his King and his Coun¬ 
 try very confiderable Services. Mr. de Tonti makes 
 another of our Company j and a Company of Sa¬ 
 vages is to follow us, Mr. de Denonville will fet out 
 
 for 
 
 n 
 
 V 
 
8 q Some New Voyages 
 
 for the Colony by the North fide of the Lake of 
 
 TVy r\wfn-iinr in tU;o nr TT- 1 _ r * 
 
 - — — — -.j ivi lu uo ui liic X^dKC Or 
 
 Frontcnac, in two or three days. He defigns to leave 
 at Fort Frontenac, a number of Men and Ammiini 
 non equal to what he leaves here. I herewith tranf 
 mit feme Letters for my Relations, which I bet, 
 you would convey to their Hands. If I meet with 
 any opportunity, I’ll fend you a Journal of m 
 Voyage the next year. In the mean time, lam 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours, &c. 
 
 letter XIV. 
 
 Dated at Miffilimakinac May 26. 1688. 
 
 The Author leaves. Niagara, and has an Incour, 
 ter with the Iroquefe at the end of the Lad 
 Carnage. The after part of his Voyage. A 
 Defcription of the Country. He arrives at 
 Tort St. Jofeph in the Mouth of the Lake oj 
 Hurons. A Detachment of the Hurons arrive 
 at the fame place. After an Ingagement , they 
 Jet out for Miliilimakinac. A /l range Adven¬ 
 ture of Mr. de la Salles Brother. Milta 
 fcinac defertb d. 
 
 SIR, I 
 
 I lof$ t0 dete I mine whether ’tis owing to 
 
 nu S Ff} 3 rl y ’, K 0r , g r Mt r efs of Mind ; that the lofsof 
 
 which I infallibly forefee, do’s not at all 
 aIte r me ' r Your Le tter is but too flirewd a confir¬ 
 mation of my Prophecy: However, I cannot but 
 purfue your feafonable advice in writing to Court; 
 
 ?*=> 
 
to North- America. 
 
 8» 
 
 in the mean time fuffer me to fatisfie my promife, 
 in prefenting you with a relation of my Voyages. 
 
 I imbarqued at Niagara Augujl 3. on board a Ca- 
 now mann’d with eight Soldiers of my Detach¬ 
 ment; and after running three Leagues againft the 
 Current of the Streight, came that fame day to the 
 place where the Navigation flops. There I met 
 with the Sieur Grifolon de la Tourette, Brother to Mr. 
 Dulhut, who had ventur’d to come from Mijfilima- 
 kinac with a fingle Canow to joyn the Army. The 
 4 tb we commenc’d our great Land-Carriage to the 
 Southward, being oblig’d to tranfport our Canows 
 from a League and a half below the great Fall of 
 Niagara , to half a League above it. Before we got 
 at any beaten or level Path, we were forc’d to 
 climb up three Mountains, upon which an hundred 
 Irotjuefe might have knock’d us all on the head with 
 Stones. While we were imploy’d in this tranfport 
 Service, we were alarm’d twice or thrice; which 
 caution’d us to keep a ftritfl guard, and to tranfport 
 our Baggage with all poffible Expedition: Nay, 
 after all our precautions we were forc’d to leave one 
 half of our Baggage about half way, upon the dis¬ 
 covery of a thouland Iroe/uefe that march’d towards 
 us. Do you judge. Sir, if we had not fome rea- 
 fon to be alarm’d; and whether we would ftand to 
 Sacrifice all to the natural principle of Self prefer- 
 vation ; tho’ indeed we were in danger of lofing 
 our Lives as well as our Baggage: for we had not 
 imbarqued above the Fall half a quarter of an hour, 
 when the Enemy appear’d upon the Streight fide. 
 
 I aflure you, I Tcap’d very narrowly; for about a 
 quarter of an hour before, I and three or four 
 Savages had gone five hundred paces out of our 
 Road, to look upon that fearful Catarad; and ’rwas 
 as much as I could do, to get at the Canows be¬ 
 fore they put off To be taken by fuch cruel Fel- 
 
 G 
 
 lows. 
 
pi 
 
 . Some N ew Voyages 
 
 lows, was to me no trifling thing, 
 
 * The Prifoners ta- ^ morir e nietite , ma il Divert brun- 
 ken by the Irtqueft ando & troppo. To die is nothin? 
 are frequently burnt, hut to live in the midfi of Fire * ‘ 
 
 much, 
 
 tstot 
 
 . ^ ^ or ^ ie Waterfall of Niagara ; ’tis feven or 
 eight hundred foot high, and half a League broad, 
 i owards the middle of it we defcry an Ifland that 
 leans towards the Precipice, as if it were ready to 
 tall. Ad the Beafts that crofs the Water within 
 half a quarter of a League above this unfortunate 
 Ifland, are fuck din by force of the Stream: And 
 the Beafts and Fi/h that arc thus kill’d by the prodi- 
 gious fall, ferve for food to fifty Iroyuefe, who are 
 lerled about two Leagues off, and take ’em out of 
 the water with their Canows. Between the furface 
 of the water that /helves off prodigioufly, and the 
 foot of the Precipice, three Men may crofs in a 
 brea without any other dammage, than a fprink- 
 ling ot iome few drops of water. 
 
 To return to the Story of the tiioufand lrcuuefe: I 
 muh tell you, that we crofs’d theStreight with all the 
 vigour we were matters of, and after rowing all 
 Wight, arny d next Morning at the mouth of the 
 Lake, which appear’d to be indifferent rapid. Then 
 we were fecure from all danger, for the Ircguefe Ca¬ 
 nows are fo dull and large, that they cannot fail 
 pear lo quick as thofe made of Birch-bark. The 
 former are made of Elm-bark, which is very heavy, 
 and their form is very aukard ; for they are fo long 
 and broad that thirty Men row in them, two a- 
 LirenfL, whether fitting or ffanding, and the fides are 
 fo low, that they dare not venture ’em upon the 
 Lakes, tho the wind be very flack. We coafted a- 
 l°"2 '.j®. N ° rtl ^C°aft of the Lake of Erie, being 
 t thZfhf thS 9* ,m . s ^ hich arein a manner conftant 
 E™ rf*?- fP ec i al ’y in the Southern Countries. 
 Upon the brink of this Lake we frequently faw 
 
 flocks 
 
to North-America. 8 3 
 
 flocks of fifty or fixty Turkey’s, which run incredi¬ 
 bly fall upon the Sands: And the Savages of our 
 Company kill’d great numbers of ’em, which they 
 gave to us in exchange for the Fifh that we catch’d. 
 The 2 <;tb we arriv’d at a long point of Land which 
 /hoots out 14 or 1 j Leagues into the Lake ; and the 
 heat being exceffive, we chofe to ttar.fport our Boats 
 and Baggage two hundred paces over-land, rather 
 than coal! about for thirty five Leagues. Septemb. 6. 
 We enter’d the Streightof the Lake of Huron , where 
 we met with a flack Current of half a League in 
 breadth, that continued till we arriv’d in the Lake 
 of St. Claire , which is twelve Leagues in Circumfe¬ 
 rence. The 8tb of the fame Month we fleer’d on 
 to the other end, from whence we had but fix 
 Leagues to run againft the ftream, till we arriv’d in 
 the Mouth of the Lake of Hurons, where we landed 
 on the 14^. You cannot imagine the pleafant 
 profped of this Streighr, and of the little Lake; for 
 their banks are cover’d with all forts of wild Fruit- 
 Trees. ’Tis true, the want of Agriculture finks the 
 agreeablenefs of the Fruit j but their plenty is very 
 furprifing. We fpy’d no other Animals upon the 
 fhoar, but Herds of Harts, and Roe-bucks: And 
 when we came to little Iflands, we fcour’d ’em, in 
 order to oblige thefe Beads to crofs over to the Con¬ 
 tinent, upon which they offering to fwim over, 
 were knock’d on the head by our Canow-men that 
 Were planted all round the Iflands. After our ar¬ 
 rival at the Fort, cf which I was order’d to taka 
 polfeflion, Mr. Dulbut and Mr de Tonti had a mind 
 to feft themfelves for fome days, as wellj as tha 
 Savages that accompany’d us. This Fort, which 
 was built by Mr. Dulbut, was Garrifon’d upon his 
 own charges by the Courcurs de Bois, who had taken 
 care to fow in it fome Bufhels of Turkey-Whezt, 
 which afforded a plentiful Crop, that prov’d of great 
 ufe to me. The Garrifon furrendred theirPoft vs- 
 
 9 2 tj 
 
|. Some New Voyages 
 
 ry chearfully to my Detachment; and then purfo- 
 ed their Commerce with our Savages, for every one 
 had leave to go where he pleas’d. This gave me an op- 
 portunity of fending two Canows under a guard of 
 Soldiers, to difpofe of a great Roll of Tobacco 
 of 200 weight, that Mr. Dulhut had kindly prefent- 
 ed me with; for that honeft Gentleman inform’d 
 me, that my Soldiers might eafily purchafe Corn in 
 exchange for 1 obacco, fooner than for any other 
 Commodities. I am oblig’d to him as long as I 
 live ; but I am much affraid, the Treafurer of the 
 Navy will make him no better compenfation for this 
 piece of Service, than for a thoufand other dhburfe- 
 ments upon the King’s account. The Soldiers [ 
 fent with the Tobacco, return’d in the latter end 
 of November, and brought with ’em the Reverend 
 rather Avenau the Jefuit, who found no occafion 
 to trouble himfelf with preaching up Abftinence 
 from Meat in the time of Lent. They brought ad¬ 
 vice, that a Party of the Hurotu being prepar’d to 
 march out of their Villages, to attack the Ircmje 
 beaver-hunters, would fpeedily repair to the Fort to 
 reit themfelves. In the mean time I waited with 
 impatience for the arrival of one Turcot, and four 
 more of the Coureurs dc Boh, who were to come to me 
 in the beginning of December, along with fome other 
 Huntlmen that Mr. de Denonvllle had promis’d to 
 lend me: But hearing nothing of ’em, and our 
 Commons being at that time very foort. I fhould 
 have been very much pinch'd, if four young Cam- 
 defe who were expert Huntfinen, had not tarry’d 
 with rae all Winter. The above-mention’d Party 
 of the Hurom arriv’d Decemb. 2. being headed by 
 one Saentjouan, who left me hisCanow and his Bag- 
 gage, to keep till lie return’d; for he could not 
 poflibly continue his Navigation longer, upon the 
 a “°“ n ' ,' h3t of chc water begar/chen c» 
 
 cot ei d weth Ice. Thefe Savages chote to match 
 
 over- 
 

 to North-Armria. 
 
 «5 
 
 over-land to the Fort of Niagara , where they ex¬ 
 pected to receive intelligence before they enter’d the 
 Country of the Iroqueje. They march’d ten days, 
 i. e. fifty Leagues, without feeing one Soul. But at 
 fall their Scouts perceiv’d the foot-fteps of fome 
 Huntfmen , which they trac’d at a great pace for 
 a whole Night, the Snow being then a foot deep. 
 Towards the break of day they return’d, and gave 
 notice to their Fellow-Adventurers, that they had 
 difcover’d fix Hurts, with ten Men lodg’d in each 
 of ’em. Upon this Intelligence the whole party 
 made a halt, in order to paint their faces, to pre¬ 
 pare their Arms, and to concert proper Meafures. 
 The attack was fo form’d, that two Men made 
 foftly up to the two doors of the Hutts with their 
 Clubs in their Hands, to knock down any one that 
 offer’d to come out,while the reft were imploy’d in fi¬ 
 ring their pieces. And the Action was crown’d with 
 wonderful Succefs; for the Iroquefe being furpriz’d 
 and fhut up in their bark Prifons, there was but 
 two out of fixty four that made their efcape; and 
 thefetwo being naked and deftituteof Fire-Arms, 
 could not but peri/h in the Woods. Three of the 
 Hurons indeed were kill’d upon the fpot, but to at- 
 tone for that lofs, the Agreftors carry’d off four¬ 
 teen Prifoners, and four Women. This done, they 
 march’d back to my Fort with all poffible Expedi¬ 
 tion. Among the Captive Slaves, there were three 
 who had made part of the number of the 1000 Iro- 
 qucfe that thought to have furpris’d us the year be¬ 
 fore, when we were imploy’d in the great Land- 
 Carriage at Niagara. They gave us to under- 
 Hand, that the Fort of Niagara was block’d up by 
 eight hundred Iroquefe, who mean’d to appear be¬ 
 fore my Poft without any delay. This troublefotn 
 piece of news gall’d me to the laft degree, for fear 
 of being reduc’d to extremities; and with that view 
 I was a very nice Husband of what Corn I had 
 
 G 5 left. 
 
8 6 Some New Voyages 
 
 left. I was not apprehenfive of being attack’d by 
 ? em, for the Ravages never fight fairly, neither do 
 they ever attempt to pull up Paliffadoes; but I was 
 affraid that they would ftarve us out by cramping 
 our Huntfmen in their due range However, the 
 Hurons continuing fifteen days in nay Fort to refrefh 
 themfelves, 1 us’d the precaution of ingaging them 
 to aflift my Huntfmen in providing Meat: But as 
 foon as they took leave of me in order to return 
 home, our hunting was at at end, and the Gates 
 were kept (hut. 
 
 At la ft, finding that my Provifions were almoft 
 put, I refoiv’d to go to MiJJilimakinac, to buy up 
 Corn from the Hurons and the Outaouans. Accor¬ 
 dingly, having left fome Soldiers to guard the Fort 
 in my abfence, I itnbarqu’d with the reft of my 
 Detachment on the firft of April, with a gentle 
 South-Eaft Gale; by the help of which we infenli- 
 bly crofs’d the Bay of Saguinan. That little Gulf is 
 fix hours over, and in the middle of it there are 
 two little Iflands, which afford a very feafonable 
 fhelter when a wind arifes in the crofting over. 
 Before you have crofs’d this Bay, the Coaft is all 
 along full of Rocks and Shelves, one of whichthat 
 f faw was fix Leagues broad: But above it the Coaft 
 is clean and low, efpecially towards the Sand-Ri¬ 
 ver, which lies half way between that Bay and a 
 place call’d I'Anfe du Tonnere . Now this laft place 
 is reckon d thirty Leagues off the Bay. Having 
 pall that, we had but thirty Leagues more to fail; 
 which we did without any danger, by the help of 
 an Eaft-South-Eaft Gale, that fwell’d the Waves 
 prodigioufly. In the Mouth of the lllinefe Lake we 
 met the party of the Hurons that I mention’d before; 
 and four or five hundred Qutaouas, who were bound 
 home, after having fpent the Winter in hunting of 
 Beavers upon the River of Saguinan, Both they and 
 wc were forc’d fo lye by in that place for three or 
 
 four 
 
to North- America. ^ 87 
 
 ^ four days, by reafon of the Ice: After which the 
 it# Lake was clear’d, and we crofs’d it together. When 
 <il the Hurons came alhoar, they confulted among 
 © themfelves how to difpofe of their Slaves: After 
 to which they made a Prefent of one of ’em to Mr. 
 
 At Juchereau, who commanded in that place ; but 
 itj! the poor wretch was prefently (hot to Death. Ano- 
 t:i ther of ’em w'as prefented to the Outaouas , who 
 at granted him his Life, for fuch reafons asyou would 
 iki eafily apprehend, if you were better acquainted with 
 the policy and cunning of that fort of Men, whom 
 t> you now take for Beafts. 
 
 ik I arriv’d in this place on the 18/A of April, and 
 1 my uneafinefs and trouble took date from the day 
 & of my arrival : For I found th t Indian Corn fo fcarce 
 Id by reafon of the preceding bad Harvefts, that I 
 a : defpair’d of finding half fomuch as I wanted. But 
 after all, 1 am hopeful, that two Villages will fur- 
 id nifli me with almoft as much as I have occafion for. 
 lu Mr. Cavelier arriv’d here May 6, being accompany’d 
 ^ with his Nephew, Father Am(lafe the Recollet, a 
 3 : Pilot, one of the Savages, and fome few Frenchmen , 
 i which made a fort of a party-colour’d Retinue. 
 Thefe Frenchmen were fome of thofe that Mr. de la 
 Salle had condu&ed upon the difcovery of MiJJifyi. 
 ; They give out, that they are fent to Canada, in 
 ; order to go to France, with fome Difpatches from 
 1 Mr. de la Salle to the King : But we fjfpeft that he 
 jj is dead, becaufe he do’s not return along with ’em. 
 
 I fhall not fpend time in taking notice of their 
 l great Journey over-land; which by the account 
 they give cannot be lefs than eight hundred Leagues. 
 
 Mijfilimakinac, the place I am now in, is certainly 
 r a place of great Importance. It lies in the Latitude 
 of forty five Degrees, and thirty Minutes; but as 
 for its Longitude, I have nothing to fay of it, for 
 reafons mention’d in my fecond Letter. ’Tis not 
 abeve half a League diftant from the Illinefe Lake, 
 
 G 4 an 
 
t Some New Voyages 
 
 an account of which,and indeed of all the other T 
 you may expect elfe-where. Here the Hurm** 
 Outaouas have, each of ’em, a Village; the one £ 
 ing fever d from the other by a finale PalifT,!. 
 But the Outaouas are beginning^ 
 
 cn aHilI, that ftands but 1000 or 1200 pacesoff 
 This Precaution they were prompted to by the 
 murder of a certain Huron, call’d Ldaouirv 2 
 was a 1 [affirmed in th eSaguinan River by four youn? 
 Outaouas. In this place the Jefuits have a little 
 
 iioufl, or Colledgeadjoymng to a fort of a Church 
 and inclos d with Pales that feparate it from the 
 Village of the Hurons. Thefe good Fathers IaWffi 7 
 way all them Divinity and Patience to no Zfok 
 in converting fuch ignorant Infidels: ForTthe 
 
 thernfelves at the point of Death Thp r ^ j 
 
 ?£?'•*-"V fcuH £S£Jb£Z* 
 
 Mifjilinsakmac is fituaTed^myldt t0 ^ £ 0 !T' 
 the Irocjuefe dare not venture with i-l a . nt fS eou ^y > f° r 
 - crjfs the S 
 
 two Leagues over; befides that the I ake of tie a 
 rcns is too rough for fuch flender Boats And * 
 they cannot come to it by Water- £ ’ A ° 
 
 approach to it hv I W / ^ 1° they cannot 
 
 ,he "w- L.i. ii S , iuii r,': 
 
I to Norf/; America. 89 
 
 You can fcarce believe, Sir, what vaft (holes of 
 white Fifh are catch’d about the middle of the Chan- 
 ^ nel, between the Continent and the Ifle of MiJJili- 
 7 makinac. The Outaouasand the Hurons could never 
 S fubfift here, without that Fifhery; for they are ob- 
 J lig’d to travel above twenty Leagues in the Woods, 
 I before they can kill any Harts or Elks, and’twould 
 J be an infinite fatigue to carry their Carcafes fo 
 5 far over Land. This fort of white Fifh in my o- 
 
 | pinion, is the only one in all thefe Lakes that can 
 I* be call’d good; and indeed it goes beyond all o- 
 fj ther forts of River Fifh. Above all, it has one fin- 
 |f gular property, namely, that all forts of Sauces 
 <j fpoil it, fo that ’tis always eat either boil’d or broil’d, 
 f without any manner of feafoning. In the Chan- 
 ' nel I now fpeak of the Currents are fo ftrong, that 
 they fometimes fuck in the Nets, though they are 
 two or three Leagues off. In fome feafons, it fo 
 P falls out that the Currents run three days Eaftward, 
 two days to the Weft, one to the South, and four 
 Northward ; fometimes more, and fometimes lefs. 
 a The caufe of this diverfity of Currents could ne- 
 
 \ ver be fathom’d, for in a calm, they’l run injj the 
 
 fpace of one day to all the points of the Compafs, 
 i. e. fometimes one way, fometimes another, with¬ 
 out any limitation of time ; fo that the decifion of 
 this matter muft be left to the Difciples of Coperni¬ 
 cus. Here the Savages catch Trouts as bigh as one's 
 Thigh, with a fort of Fifhing-Hook made in the 
 form of an Awl, and made faft to a piece of Brafs 
 wire, which is. joynd to the Line that teaches to 
 the bottom of the Lake. This fort of Fiftiery is 
 carried on not only with Hooks, but with Nets, 
 and that in Winter, as well as in Summer: For they 
 make holes in the Ice at a certain diftance one from 
 another, thro’ whic|i they condud the Nets with 
 Poles. The Outaouas and the Hurons have very plea- 
 font Fields, in which they fow Indian Corn, Peafo, 
 
 and 
 
yo borne Hew Voyages 
 
 and Beans, befidcs a fort of Citruls, and Melons 
 which differs much from ours, and of which I ft a || 
 take occasion to lpeak in another place. Some 
 times thefe Savages fell their Corn very dear" 
 efpecially when the Beaver-hunting happens not 
 to take well : Upon which occafion they make 
 fufficient repnfals upon us for the extravagant price 
 or our Commodities. ^ 
 
 As ioon as 1 have bought up fixty facks of Corn 
 each of which may weigh fifty pound, I am to 
 march^ with my Detachment alone to St. Mary's 
 ton, m order to ingage the Sauteurs or the Inhabi- 
 tants of Saut Samt Marie, to joyn the Outaouas: af¬ 
 ter which we mean to march with joynt Forces 
 to the Country of die Iro^efe. Befides thefe, there’s 
 a paity of a hundred Hurcns ready to march, un- 
 der the command of the great' Leader Mario. 
 whom the French call the Rat J but they do not 
 march our way.I /hall write to you with thefirftOp- 
 
 hZT!h Y fr- my .ff^ rn fr0in rhis Expedition. Per- 
 
 wid J n fUUS W ,l ” y ° Ur Letters for me along 
 
 Se l ffT l° n St * JoJe * h > w ' ,ere 1 aln » 
 
 1 ft *'l exped their arrival with the utmoft 
 impatience In the mean time I/end you a Letter 
 
 hlwf t0 ^. Je feigne/ai, the purport of which I 
 have here fubjoyn d. Twill be a very fenfible ob- 
 
 gation laid upon me, if you vouchfafe to believe 
 /hat I always am. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Yours, See, 
 
 111- 
 
 
 \ 
 
to North America. 
 
 The Letter chretledto Mr. de Seignelay. 
 
 Honoured S/r, 
 
 I Am the Son of a Gentleman that fpent three hun¬ 
 dred thoufarid Crowns in deepening the Water of 
 the two Gaves of Bearn : He had the good luck to 
 compafs his End by conveying a great many Brooks 
 to thefe two Rivers; and the Current of the Adour 
 was by that means fo far ftrengthen’d as to render 
 the Bar of Bayonne paffable by a fifty Gun Ship, 
 whereas in former times a Frigot of ten Guns durft 
 not venture over it. 1 was in confideration of this 
 great and fuccefsful Attempt, that his Majefty gran¬ 
 ted to my Father and his Heirs for ever, certain Du¬ 
 ties and Taxes, amounting to the Sum of three thou- 
 fand Livres a Year. This Grant was confirm’d by 
 an A& of the Council of State, dated January 9. 
 16j8. Sign’d BoJJ'uet , Collated, &c. Another Ad¬ 
 vantage accruing to the King and the Province from 
 my Fathers Services, conlilts in the bringing down 
 of Mafts and Yards from the i Pyrenean Mountains, 
 which could never have been effected, if he had not 
 bv his Care, and by the disburfing of immenfe Sums, 
 enlarged the quantity of Water in the Gave of Oleron 
 to a double proportion. Thefe Duties and Faxes 
 which had been juftly intail’d upon him and his 
 Heirs, ceas’d to be ours when he dy’d ; and to in¬ 
 flame the Difgrace, I loft his Places, viz., that of be¬ 
 ing a Honorary Judge of the Parliament of Pau, and 
 Chief Juftice in Eyre for the Province of Bearn $ 
 all which were mine by Inheritance, fhele Lone$ 
 are now followed by an unjufi Seizure that fome pre- 
 pended Creditors have made of the Barony of la Hon- 
 
5 ? ^ Some 7$ett> Voyages 
 
 tan, of a piece of Ground that lies contiguous to it 
 and of a hundred thoufand Livies that lay in the 
 hands of the Chamber of Bayonne. Thefe faithlefs 
 Creditors have no other reafon to fue me, but that I 
 am now ,n the fagg end of the World, and thatthey 
 
 ofX C Po p ndfu PP° f rt e d by the Credit and ProteflioJ 
 he 1 arliament of Parts, where they hope to make 
 
 & ° d ToKf *"!?? Pretenfions in my AbfencC. Laft 
 }f A j} obta md Leave to return to France, in order to 
 take care of this matter; but now Mr. de Demnvilk 
 
 whenrp iT WI £ 3 De . ta . chmen t to thefe Lakes; from 
 ^nrbf f 1Um r y petltlon that your Honour would 
 t m , e Le *V ^ come home the next Year 
 
 iinn i hS fame . t , ,me 1 honour me with your Prote- 
 ^ °n- I am, with all poffible refped, J 
 
 Tour Honours, &c. 
 
 letter XV. 
 
 Hated at MiJJilimakinac, Sept. 18. 1688. 
 
 St. Marie, W,« 
 the Author pervades the Inhabitants to joyn 
 
 Tv a0UaS ’ and march the Iroquefe. 
 of tU°T g j aH ^ CCOunt °f the Occurrences 
 
 mzkinL 0 .^ letW£en tbat PUce and 
 
 SIR , 
 
 I txfcllrTu 6 t f0m tb t Q Ir ^fe Country, and 
 Will I cmnnf C if P ° rt °rfr* againft my 
 
 you took care of a tS my “ «> doubt, but that 
 
 Iclay which f tr/n t- T V direaed for Mr- de Seig. 
 
 h which I tranfrauted to you three Months ago 
 
to North America. 9 ; 
 
 ® I fet out from hence in my Canow, June 2. And 
 !Jt after my Arrival at the Water-fall call’d Saut Sainte 
 J tt Marie, I perfwaded forty young Warlike Fellows to 
 t joyn the Party of the Outaouas that I mention’d in 
 my laft. This Saut Sainte Marie is a Cataract, or 
 rather a Water-fall of two Leagues in length, which 
 Kti gives vent to the Waters of the upper Lake, and at 
 w the bottom of which, not far from the Jefuits Houfe, 
 iiui there’s a Village of the Outchipoues , alias Sauteurs. 
 k This Place is a great Thoroughfare for the Coweurs de 
 it; Boss that trade with the Northern People, who ufu- 
 ®i ally repair to the brinks of that Lake in the Summer. 
 «i: The continual Fogg that rifes from the upper Lake, 
 wf and fpreads over the adjacent Country, renders the 
 Ground fo barren, that it bears no Corn. The 13 th 
 of the fame Month I fet out from the abovementi- 
 ,i on’d Village, being accompany’d by the forty young 
 Sauteurs , who embark d in five Canows, each of 
 ~ which held eight Men. The 16th we arriv’d at the 
 Ifle of Detour , where my Soldiers and the Party of the 
 Outaouas had tarry’dfor me tvvodays. The firft day 
 was fpent by the Outaouas and the Sauteurs in Warlike 
 Feafts, Dancing, and Singing, purfuant to their 
 wonted Cuftom: The next day we all embark’d, 
 and traverfing from Ifle to Ifle, made the Ifland of 
 " Manitoualin in four days. This Ifland is 2 y Leagues 
 S long, and feven or eight broad. In former times’twas 
 ® poffefs’d by the Outaouas of Talon, call d the Otonta- 
 Jt gans ; who were diflodg’d by the Progrefs of the Iro- 
 quefe, that has ruin’d fo many Nations. We coafhd 
 upon that Ifle a whole day ; and being favour’d by 
 a Calm, crofs’d from Ifle to Ifle till we made the 
 Eaft-fide of the Lake. In this Paflage we crofs’d be¬ 
 tween two Iflands that were fix Leagues diflant the 
 one from the other; and upon that occafion our Wa¬ 
 termen, who were not us’d to venture fo far out in 
 their flender Boats, were fain to tugg hard at their 
 Oars. The Savages flood out at firfl, and refus’d to 
 

 / 
 
 , 
 
 venture fo far from Land, for they would rather 
 have gone fifty Leagues about; but at laft I over- 
 perfwaded ’em, by reprefenting that I would have 
 been very loth to venture my own Perfon, if I had 
 not been fufficiently provided againit all danger by 
 an exad knowledge of the Winds and the Storms, 
 The Calm continuing, we made the River of Then. 
 \ nomate on the 2 yth. The next day there fprung up 
 a Gale from the Weft-fouth-weft, which kept us 
 back for four or five days; but our flop, was of no 
 great advantage to us, for it rain’d fo heavily, that 
 we could not hunt. This Country is the ancient 
 Seat of the Hurons, as it appears from the Name they 
 give to their Nations in their own Language, viz. 
 Theonontatercnons, i. e. the Inhabitants of Thccnontatc. 
 But after the Iroyuefe had, upon divers occafions, ta¬ 
 ken and defeated great numbers of’em, the reft quit¬ 
 ted the Country to avoid the like Fate. We re¬ 
 embark’d on the 29th, and on the ift of July arriv’d 
 at .Fort St. Jofeph , where the Soldiers I had left wait¬ 
 ed for us with great Impatience. Having landed 
 feme Sacks Corn at the Fort, we fet out again on 
 the 3d of July, and purfued our Courfe with all di¬ 
 ligence, in order to an early Appearance in the In- 
 yuefe Country. We fail’d through the Streight or 
 Neck, and ftood to the South-fide, of the Lake Erie; 
 and being favour’d by the Weather, arriv’d on the 
 17th in the River of Conde, which I Ihall have occa- 
 fion to take notice of in deferibing the Lakes of Ca¬ 
 nada. Immediately, upon our Landing, the Savages 
 fell to work in cutting down Trees, and making a 
 Redoubt of Stakes, or Pales, for the Security of our 
 Canows and Baggage, and for a fafe Retreat to our 
 felves in cafe of neceffity. 
 
 The 20th they march’d, each Man being provi¬ 
 ded with a light Covering, a Bow, and fome Arrows, 
 
 ( or elfe a Fufee ) and a little Bag containing ten 
 pound weight of the Flowr of tire Indian Corn. 
 
 They 
 
j* They thought it mod convenient to keep to the 
 *1 Banks of the River, upon which the Goyogoans are 
 <#! wont to filh for Sturgeon; for that Filh, which is 
 
 11 fix foot in length, comes out of the Lakes in hot 
 it! Weather, and fwims up the Rivers. They had re- 
 Iti folv’d likewife, if they found the Country clear, to 
 
 niarch up and furprife the Villages of the Goyogoans : 
 ijn but they were foon eas’d of that trouble; tor they 
 1)1 had not march’d two days when their Scouts de- 
 
 12 fcry’d three hundred Iroyuefe : and on the other hand 
 It the Irocjuefe fpy’d them to fuch purpcfe, that the 
 its Scouts efcap’d very narrowly, and had much ado to 
 ta return to the body of the Party, which immediately 
 oij betook themfelves to flight. I was mightily furpris’d 
 Ha when I heard the Centinel of our Redoubt cry our, 
 UK Aux Armes, our Aden are beaten and purfued ; but I was 
 ;ra yet more furpriz’d when 1 faw the Fugitives run at 
 I full fpeed, when there was no body behind them. 
 
 , When they came up they were all filent for half an 
 tf hour, purluant to their Ufe and Wont; after which 
 
 their Leader recounted to me the Particulars of the 
 ■ 5 Adventure. I thought at firft that their advanc’d 
 Guards had miftook the number of the Enemies; 
 tE for I knew that the Outaouas had not the Reputation 
 ^ of c °o much Courage: but the next day a Party of 
 ,j; the Iroquefe appear’d in fight of our Redoubt, which 
 j { gave meoccafion to believe that they were in the right 
 n . Na y> Truth was afterwards confirmed by 
 
 5 , a certain Slave call’d Chaouanon, who made his efcape 
 
 ■ to the Redoubt, and all'ur d me, that the Irotjuefe were 
 ; not lefs than four hundred; to which he added, that 
 
 they expe&ed to be joyn d by fixty more that had 
 march d fome Months before to the Country of the 
 Oumamis. He inform’d us farther, That while the 
 Marquis de Denonville was concerting meafures for a 
 
 ■ Pe ace with the five Nations, an Englijhman, of the 
 Name of Aria, accompany’d with fome others, en- 
 
 | deavour’d to difiwade them from Peace, by Orders 
 
 from 
 
9 6 Some New Voyages 
 
 from the Governour of New York. In the mean time 
 the Savages having prefs’d me to affift at a Council 
 of War, they propos’d to lie by for a fair Wind, and 
 then to embark. They reprefented, that they de- 
 fign’d to fail to the end of the Lake, where they 
 would infallibly light upon the fixty Irce/uefe that I 
 mention’d above;.but withal, that they could not 
 agree to fet out in a Calm, becaufe that after their 
 quitting the Redoubt, and launching out, a contra¬ 
 ry Wind might force ’em afliore, where their Throats 
 might be cut if the Enemy purfu’d ’em. I reply’d. 
 That ’twas then fuch fine Weather, that we had no¬ 
 thing to expetft but Calms; that if we tarry’d longer 
 in this Place, our Enemies would thereby gain time 
 to make Canows in order to a Purfuit; that fince 
 the favourablenefs of the Wind was fo uncertain, we 
 ought to embark without lofs of time; that we might 
 fail in the Night, and fculk in the Day-time behind 
 Rocks and Points of Land; and, that by this means 
 the Enemy would be at a lofs to know whether we 
 hood to the South or to the North fide of the Lake. 
 The Savages made Anfwer, That ’twas true their 
 tarrying might be every way prejudicial; but ’twas 
 equally true, that my Expedient was dangerous: 
 However, they confented to embark along with us, 
 and fer that end gumm’d their Canows. We em¬ 
 bark d on the 24th at night, and the Weather being 
 fair, clear, and calm, made a great deal of way that 
 night, and the fucceeding day. The next Evening 
 we came to an Anchor, defigning to fleep for three 
 or four hours, but not to ftir out of the Canows. 
 About Midnight we weigh’d our little wooden An¬ 
 chors, and one half of the Men row’d while theo- 
 ther was at reft. Thus did we continue to fleer with 
 a great deal of Precaution and Care, rowing all 
 night, and lying by all day. 
 
 July 28. when we were lying almofl all afleep in 
 a Creek of a little Illand, the Watch deferying fome 
 
 Canows 
 
 _ Cl 
 
 
to North- America. 97 
 
 Canows that made towards us, wak’d fome Savages 
 f that had gone a-fhore to fleep the more convenient- 
 111 ly. The Noife having alarm’d us all, we prefently 
 made our felves ready to get in head of thefe Canows j 
 but at the fame time, tho’ we were buc half a League 
 ^ off, we could not diftinguifh who they were, by rea- 
 fon that the Sun-beams falling perpendicularly, made 
 ! ‘ r the Surface of the Water look like a Looking-glafs. 
 1! Indeed there being but two of ’em, we reckon’d they 
 were mann’d with Iroquefe, and chat each of ’em 
 I« contain’d at leaft twenty Men: upon which fufpi- 
 cion, the Leader of the Sauteurs offered to go a- ihore 
 i’ll with his Men, and poft himfelf at the Entry of a 
 
 p Wood, from whence he would foftly follow the Ca¬ 
 fe nows without being difcover’d, till fuch time as we 
 
 Mi forc’d ’em a-fhore. At the fame time he propos’d 
 
 «r that the Outaouas and my Detachment fhould fuffer 
 
 D!t ’em to be within a Musket-fhot of the Ifland before 
 
 li: we difcover’d our felves, or offer’d to give ’em chafe, 
 
 fo upon the apprehenfion that if we follow’d ’em clofer, 
 
 ifc they would be fo far from getting on fhore, that they 
 
 is would fight as defperate, and choofe rather to be 
 
 1 b kill’d or drown’d than to be taken. This Propofal 
 
 is was lik’d, and every thing was manag’d accordingly, 
 
 t As foon as our unknown Enemy perceiv’d us, they 
 
 I made the Shore with all imaginable Precipitation ; 
 
 c and juft when they were going to knock their Prifo- 
 
 K ners on the Head, the Sauteurs fell upon ’em, but 
 
 f: ; mifs’d of their aim in taking ’em all alive; for they 
 
 j fought to the laft gafp, iike Men that knew no Me¬ 
 
 dium betwixt Conqueft and Death. Una falus vittis 
 nuJlatn fferare falutem. This Engagement happen’d 
 while we landed: however, the Sauteurs came off 
 with Honour, for they loft only four Men, and of 
 twenty Iroquefe they kill’d three, wounded five, and 
 took the reft Prifbners, fo that not one of ’em efcap’d. 
 
 , The Iroquefe had along with them eighteen Slaves of 
 the Qumamit. who were all wounded, and (even big- 
 
 H belly’d 
 
98 Some New Voyages 
 
 belly’d Women, from whom we had IntelKeenca 
 that the reft of their Party were then upon the? Re 
 turn by Land upon the Banks of the Lake, having 
 thirty four Pnfoners, of both Sexes j and that they 
 eouid not then be far off When this Intelligence 
 was laid before us, the Outaouat were of the opinion 
 that we fliould reft fatisfied with the Feats we had 
 
 j P ? n th ® Plea * hat the above-mention’d four 
 hundred Iroquefe would certainly get before us. On 
 the other hand, the Sauteurs maintain’d that they had 
 -rather penfti than fail to attempt the Refcue of theft 
 Pnfoners and the Defeat of the whole Party j and 
 that if no body would fecond ’em, they would make 
 the Attempt by themfelves. The Bravery of this 
 Refolution obhgd me to encourage and egg on the 
 Outaouat.' I remonftrated to’em, that in regard the 
 
 fheThaVS d V hC G J 0ry ° f the former Adm, 
 
 5 e / r “ d ™° r re reafon th an we to decline the rifque 
 of a fecond Engagement: that if we refus’d to back 
 «m, our Cowardice would cover us with everlafting 
 and > that in order to render the Attack 
 n ore fecure, we ought to ufe a fpeedy Precaution in 
 finding out fome Point or Elbow of Land where 0! 
 
 B i^age, and our Prifoners might 
 
 lucftanfv m \ Thg ° utaou l as had a g re « deal of Re- 
 amonpfh,mn e however > after confulting 
 
 mTe for\T f e V h£y COm ,P ,y ’ d w ‘th the Propofal 
 Sh u •’ . than out of true Courage. Having 
 
 fort ofTF^T ^ ePo * ut .^ n > WQ made up a little 
 out Sco U rf!?n n f r",° r £,ght hours > and then fent 
 kept in readinpf i hands> , Whi,e the mai n Body was 
 % ' j f z a f ® a c rC . h Upon thc hrft Alarm. 
 tn • c °, of our Spies return’d upon full fpeed, 
 
 vffi ,h„ d ,h ? th „ ey adfancy ‘“Wards us: and 
 
 upon which an°Amh -f °i d the . re . “as a little Brook, 
 
 iaid This might conveniently 
 
 • rhis Advice animated our Savage, fo mac b, 
 
 that 
 
■ to North- America. 
 
 ^ that they run immediately to take Pofleffion of that 
 , advantageous Port: but they knew not how to make 
 |jL the right ufe of it* The Outaouas were too hafty in 
 J firing,’ and by footing at too great a diftance, gave 
 U all the Enemies an opportunity of making their Ef- 
 cape, abating for ten or twelve whofe Heads were 
 |tj brought into the little Fort where I flay’d. The 
 rc Slaves indeed were all retaken, and fo refcued from 
 Jtt L the Cruelty of thefe Tygers; which encourag’d us 
 j to reft fatisfied. When the Expedition was over, we 
 r; flow’d thefe poor Wretches in our Canows, and 
 ''l fleer’d with all Expedition to the Streight or Neck of 
 “ the Lake of Huron, which we made on the 13 th. 
 / 0 We enjoy’d a great deal of Pleafure in ftemming the 
 Current of that Streight; the Iflands of which, that 
 lt ? I mention’d above, were cover'd with Roe bucks. 
 
 This opportunity we did not flight; nor did w a 
 itKi grudge our flopping upon thefe Iflands for eight 
 s “ t: days; during which time we were bufied in Hunt- 
 ing, and refrefli’d our felves with plenty of excellent 
 Fruit that was fully ripe. Here the wounded and 
 « retaken Prifoners had an opportunity of refting, and 
 »l® of drinking the Broth of feveral forts of Meat; and 
 flss we had time to broil as much Meat as we could flow 
 aW in our Canows, not to mention the great numbers 
 d of Turkeys that we were oblig’d to eat upon the 
 ft? fpot, for fear that the heat of the Seafon would fpoil 
 ft ’an. 
 
 ipi In that fpace of time the poor wounded Savages 
 to were carefully purg’d with fuch Roots as the Ameri- 
 lodt cans are well vers’d in; which I mean to explain to 
 in you in its proper time and place; and they wanted 
 not good Reftoratives of Jelly-broth. The 24th we 
 it: re-embark’d, and arriv’d at Night at Fort St. Jofipb, 
 s;. where I found a Party of eighty Oumamu command- 
 lit ed by one Mkhitonka , who being lately return’d from 
 jj Niagara, expe&ed my Arrival with the utmoft im- 
 u patienje. When I landed, I was furpris’d to fee tha 
 I H 2 Fore 
 
98 Some New Voyages 
 
 belly’d Women, from whom we had Intelligence 
 that the reft of their Party were then upon their Re¬ 
 turn by Land upon the Banks of the Lake, having 
 thirty four Prifoners, of both Sexes; and that they 
 could not then be far off. When this Intelligence 
 was laid before us, the Outaouas were of the opinion 
 that we Ihould reft fatisfied with the Feats we had 
 done, upon the Plea that the above-mention’d four 
 hundred Iroquefe would certainly get before us. On 
 the other hand, the Sauteurs maintain’d that they had 
 -rather perifti than fail to attempt the Refcue of theft 
 Prifoners, and the Defeat of the whole Party • and 
 that if no body would fecond ’em, they would make 
 the Attempt by themfelves. The Bravery of this 
 Refolution oblig’d me to encourage and egg on the 
 Outaouas. I remonftrated to ’em, that in regard the 
 Sauteurs ingrofs’d the Glory of the former Adion, 
 
 * }?y more realon than we to decline the rifque 
 of a fecond Engagement: that if we refus’d to back 
 am, our Cowardice would cover us with everlafting 
 Infamy: and, that in order to render the Attack 
 more fecure, we ought to ufe a fpeedy Precaution in 
 finding out fome Point or Elbow of Land where our 
 ppom our Baggage, and our Prifoners might 
 he lodg d lafe. The Outaouas had a great deal of Re- 
 u&ancy to the matter j however, after confuting 
 among themfelves, they comply'd with the Propofal, 
 more for Shame, than out of true Courage. Having 
 laid down that joint Refolution, we made up a little 
 lort of a Fence in feven or eight hours, and then fent 
 out Scouts on all hands, while the main Body was 
 kept in readinefs to march upon the firft Alarm. 
 
 Augu^ 4. two of our Spies return’d upon full fpeed, 
 to acquaint us that the Iro^efe were not above three 
 
 uShT °k ff ’ and tha L C the y ad ^nc’d towards us; and 
 r'i u P° n A th L e Road there was a little Brook, 
 i ?j l . c 1 an.Ambufcado might be conveniently 
 laid. This Advice animated our Savages fo much, 
 
 that 
 
to North- America. pp 
 
 that they run immediately to take Poffeffion of that 
 advantageous Port: but they knew not how to make 
 the right ufe of it* The Outaouas were too hafty in 
 firing; and by ftiooting at too great a diftance, gave 
 all the Enemies an opportunity of making their Es¬ 
 cape, abating for ten or twelve whofe Heads were 
 brought into the little Fort where I flay’d. The 
 Slaves indeed were all retaken, and fo refcued from 
 the Cruelty of thefe Tygers; which encourag’d us 
 to reft fatisfied. When the Expedition was over, ws 
 flow’d thefe poor Wretches in our Canows, and 
 fleer’d with all Expedition to the Streight or Neck of 
 the Lake of Huron , which we made on the 13 th, 
 We enjoy’d a great deal of Pleafure in ftemming the 
 Current of that Streight; the Iflands of which, that 
 I mention’d above, were cover'd with Roe bucks. 
 This opportunity we did not flight; nor did we 
 grudge our flopping upon thefe Iflands for eight 
 days; during which time we were bufied in Hunt¬ 
 ing, and refrefh’d our felves with plenty of excellent 
 Fruit that was fully ripe. Here the wounded and 
 retaken Prifoners had an opportunity of refting, and 
 of drinking the Broth of feveral forts of Meat; and 
 we had time to broil as much Meat as we could flow 
 in our Canows, not to mention the great numbers 
 of Turkeys that we were oblig’d to eat upon the 
 fpot, for fear that the heat of the Seafon would fpoil 
 ’on. 
 
 In that fpace of time the poor wounded Savages 
 were carefully purg’d with fuch Roots as the Ameri¬ 
 cans are well vers’d in; which I mean to explain to 
 you in its proper time and place; and they wanted 
 not good Reftoratives of Jelly-broth. The 24th we 
 re-embark’d, and arriv’d at Night at Fort St. Jofepb, 
 where I found a Party of eighty Oumamis command¬ 
 ed by one Micbitonka , who being lately return’d from 
 Niagara , expected my Arrival with the utmoft im- 
 patienje. When I landed, I was furpris’d to fee ths 
 
 H 2 Fore 
 
i oo Some TSLew Voyages 
 
 Forr cramm’d with Savages; but on the other hand, 
 they were equally aftonilh’d to find in our Company 
 their Country-men, to whofe hard Fortune they 
 had been altogether Strangers. The joyful Meeting 
 fill’d the Air with Acclamations, and Panegyricks 
 rung all about to an extravagant degree. I wifli, Sir 
 you had been there to pai take of the Pleafure offo 
 fine a Show: had you been prefent, you would 
 have join’d with mein owning that all our Ft neb 
 Rherorick cannot reach fuch pithy and fignificant fi¬ 
 gures, eipecially upon the (core of Hyperboles , as 
 made up the bulk of the Harangues and Songs that 
 thefe poor People utter’d with Rapture and Tranf- 
 port. Micbitovka acquainted me, that after he went 
 to the Fort of Niagara, with a Defign to make fome 
 Expedition into the Country of the 'Tfonontouans , he 
 found that the Scurvey had made fuch a terrible ha- 
 vock in that Fort, that it had fweep’d off the Com¬ 
 mander, and all the Soldiers, bating twelve, who 
 had the good luck to get over it, as well as Mr. de 
 Bergeres, who by the advantage of a hale Conftituti- 
 on had ftemm’d the raging Violence of that Diftem- 
 per. He inform’d me farther. That Mr. fiergem ha¬ 
 ving refolv’d to fet out with his twelve Men for the 
 Fort of Frontenac, had defir’d of him a Reinforcement 
 ot fome young Oumamis, which was granted him; 
 that after Mr. Bergeres had embark’d, himfelf march’d 
 over Land to the Country of the Onnontagua, where 
 he rejoin d the Reinforcement he had granted to Mr. 
 de Bergeres, and underftood from them, that during 
 the Winter the Scurvey had carried off as many Sol- 
 diers at Fort Frontenac as at Niagara; and, that Mr. 
 
 de Denonvtlle was negotiating a Peace with the Iro- 
 queje. 
 
 ,, ? e ^ over nour of Fort Frontenac had requeftec 
 Mtchitonka to engage in no Enterprise, and to returr 
 
 fr Sfl S! ] u 1S , Men ’ u ? on which that Leader being 
 in full March homeward, was attack’d by three hun- 
 
 dred 
 
 
 
to North America. 
 
 lot 
 
 dred O tmontaguesy whom he durft not engage other- 
 wife than in a running Fight, by which he loft four 
 Men. Being inform’d of all thefe Circumftances, I 
 confulted with the three different Nations that were 
 then ported in my Fort. After a mature Refle&ion 
 upon the Intelligence that was laid before ’em, they 
 came to this Refolution ; That fince the Marquis de 
 Denonville had a mind to clap up a Peace, and the 
 Fort of Niagara was abdicated, the Fort I then com¬ 
 manded would be of no ufe; that fince 1 had nei¬ 
 ther Provifions nor Ammunition for above two 
 Months, I fliould be oblig’d at the end of thefe two 
 Months to retreat to the Place from whence I now 
 write; that at that time of the Year our Navigation 
 would be uneafie and dangerous; that in regard I 
 lay under an indifpenfible neceflity of making my 
 Retreat, ’twas of no great moment whether I march’d 
 off two Months fooner or later; and, in fine, that 
 fince I had receiv’d no frefh Orders, nor no Succors, 
 ’twas my Bufinefs to go off along with them. This 
 Refolution, which was a fufficient Argument to fway 
 me, afforded matter of joy to the Soldiers, who were 
 afraid of being oblig’d to a more rigorous courfe of 
 Abftinence in that Port: than they had formerly un¬ 
 dergone ; for the meafures of a critical Abftinence do 
 not fit well upon a Soldiers Stomach. In fine,purfuant 
 to our joint Refolution, we fet fire to the Fort on 
 the 27th, and embarked that fame day, and keeping 
 clofe to the South ftiore of the Lake that I took no¬ 
 tice of in my laft, arriv’d here on the 10th of Septem¬ 
 ber. The © umamis march’d over Land to their own 
 Country, and carry’d with ’em the Wounded, who 
 were then in a condition to march. 
 
 Upon my Arrival in this Place, I found here Mr. 
 de la Durantay , whom Mr. Denonville has inverted 
 with the Commiflion of Commander of the Ccureurs 
 de Bou that trade upon the Lakes, and in the Southern 
 Countries of Canada. The Governour has fent me 
 
 H 3 Orders 
 
■■I 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 Orders to return to the Colony if the Seafon and o- 
 ther Circumftances permit; or to tarry here till the 
 Spring if I forefee unfurmountable Difficulties in the 
 Paffage. In the mean time he has fent me Effedfs 
 to anfwer the Pay of my Detachment, and to fubfift 
 ’em in the Winter. Thefe Orders would be extream 
 acceptable to me, if I could but contrive how to re¬ 
 turn to the Colony; but that feems to be abfolutely 
 jmpoffible, and both the French and the Savages agree 
 that it is fo. There are in that PafTagc fo many Wa¬ 
 ter-falls, Cataracts, and Places where there’s a necef- 
 ifity of tedious Land-carriages, that I dare not run 
 fuch Hazards with my Soldiers, who cannot work 
 the Boats but upon ftagnating Water. Upon that 
 confideration I have thought it more proper to halt 
 here till the next Year; at which time I defignto 
 take the Advantage of the Company of fome French- 
 mctt' and Savages, that promife to take into each of 
 their Canows one of my Men. In the mean time, 
 I am upon the point of undertaking another Voyage, 
 for I cannot mew my felf up here all this Winter. I 
 defign to make the beft ufe of my time, and to tra¬ 
 vel through the Southern Countries that I have fo 
 often heard of, having engag’d four or five good 
 riuntlmen of the Outaouas to go along with me. 
 
 The Party of the Hurons that I mention’d in the 
 beginning of my Letter, return’d hither two Months 
 ago, and brought with ’em an Iroquefe Slave, whom 
 t ieu Leader prefented to Mr. Je Iuchereau, the late 
 Colonel or the Coureurs Je Bois , and whom that Co¬ 
 lonel order d to be immediately fhot, The crafty 
 Leader acted upon that occafion a very cunning and 
 malicious parr, the fatal Confequences of which I 
 ejiily lorelee : He intruded no body with the Secret 
 but my lelf; for he is my true Friend, and he knows 
 that I am his. However, I muff go no farther up¬ 
 on this matter, left my Letter fhouid be intercepted, 
 a..!0 alt^r all, if the Blow were net already given, 
 
to North-America. 
 
 10; 
 
 or if ’twere poflible to remedy it, my Friend/hip 
 ftould not hinder me from acquainting Mr. de De- 
 nonville with the Intrigue, that he might get clear of 
 it as well as he could. If it pleafes God to allow me 
 a fafe Return to France , I fhall tell you the Story by 
 word of mouth. 
 
 I underftand by your laft, that the King has pre- 
 ferr’d his Almoner, the Abbot of St. V,alters, to the 
 Bilhoprick of Quebec; and that this Bilhop was con- 
 fecrated in St. Sulfice s Church. This piece of News 
 would be very welcome to me, if I thought he would 
 be lefs rigid than Mr. de Laval , his Predeceffor. Bnt 
 what likely hood is there that the new Bilhop will be 
 of a tradable temper? If *tis true that he ha9 refus’d 
 other good Bilhopricks, he muft be as fcrupulous as 
 the Monk Dracontius , that St. Athanafius cenfures for 
 not accepting of a Prefentation to a Bilhoprick that 
 was offer’d him. In fine, if he is of that fcrupulous 
 Temper, his critical Stri&nefs will fcarce go down 
 in this Country ; for the People are already tyr’d 
 out with his Predeceffor’s Excommunications. 
 
 Z am, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours,, &C. 
 
 H4 
 
 
 LETTER 
 
io 4 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 letter xvr. 
 
 Dated at Mijfilimakinac, May 28. 1689. 
 
 Containing an Account of the Authors Departure 
 from, and Return to, Miffilimakinac. A De¬ 
 feription of the Bay of Puants, and its Fi Sages. 
 An ample Defcriptien of the Beavers; foSoivd 
 by the Journal of a remarkable Foyage upon the 
 k ong River, and a Map of the adjacent Country 
 
 SIR, 
 
 TpHank God > 1 am now return’d from my Vov- 
 
 ftfono? • the r Ung River ’ which fa,ls int0 die 
 River of Mtf/ifp,. I would willingly have trac’d it 
 
 i P nmv KS S ° U T C r’ ,f T ev « ral Oracles had nor flood 
 in my way. I fee out from hence the 24th of Sept. 
 
 Sw Vd W T Uh ^ °? detachment, and the 
 d.rf n,, f n I n ? en “ on d 10 m y lafl; who indeed 
 cmvTd J gre l t dea °S Service * A11 the Soldiers were 
 Ind Amm W,t - h - neW S a r OWS loaded with Pmvifions 
 ner fX i? U c ,tIOn ’ and fuch Commodities as are pro- 
 
 fn the Nnfi aVaSfi ;- Jhe Wind, which flood then 
 in the Noah, wafted me in three days to the Bay of 
 
 of thlTnT* C - at ,3y f ° rty Lea S ues off The mouth 
 the J, a r tr- m 3 n r Unner choak>d with Wes, and 
 
 Leagues long “ 6 ““ br ° a ‘ 1 ' a " d fi,e 
 
 „, Th u e we came to a little deep fort of a River, 
 
 SLakef m f! 0§ !; eS 1* plaCS Where the Water of 
 deci£ *? 0t r hi Z h in tweIve hours, and 
 
 tarnMnp tht mU | h “* th r fame compafs of time. Our 
 tunitv of m i?- tllree . or four days gave me an oppor- 
 s 2l y f" a,ng th,S Rematk - The Villages of the 
 S ktSi the Pcuteouatamis, and fome Malomims, are 
 
 feated 
 
 l 
 
to North- America. loy 
 
 ^ feated on the fide of that River, and the Jefuits 
 have a Houfe or College built upon it. This is a 
 place of great Trade for Skins and Indian Corn, 
 which thefe Savages fell to the Coureun de Boh, as 
 . they come and go, it being the neareft and molt 
 convenient PalTage to the River of Miflifipi. The 
 to Soil of this Country is fo fertile, that it produces 
 4! (in a manner without Agriculture ) our European 
 7JL Corn, Peafe, Beans, and leveral other Fruits that 
 £ are not known in France. As foon as I landed, the 
 . ’ Warriours of thefe three Nations came by turns to 
 , my Apartment, to regale me with the Calumet-Dance , 
 
 ' ' and with the Captains-Dance ; the former being a figni- 
 fication of Peace and Friendihip, and the latter of Ref- 
 pe<ft and Efteem. I return’d the Compliment with a 
 i)'l Prefent of fome Rolls of Brafil Tobacco, which they 
 m value mightily, and fome firings of Venice Beads, with 
 'K which they imbroider their Coats. Next Morning 
 rf I was invited to a Feaft with one of the three Na¬ 
 tl tions; and after having fent to ’em fome Dilhes 
 ini and Plates, purfuant to the Cuftom of the Country, 
 iat I went accordingly about Noon. They began with 
 51 congratulating my Arrival, and after I had return’d 
 fii them thanks, fell a finging and dancing one after 
 itj another, in a particular manner, of which you 
 1; may expe<ft a circumftantial account when I have 
 l more leifure. The Singing and Dancing lafted for 
 two hours, being fcafon’d with Acclamations of Joy 
 ; and Jefts, which make up part of their ridiculous 
 Mullck. After that the Slaves came to ferve, and 
 all the Company fat down after the Eaflern fafhion, 
 j every one being provided with his Mels, juft as our 
 Monks are in the Monaftery-Halls. 
 
 Firft of all four Platters were fet down before me, 
 in the firft of which there were two white Filh on¬ 
 ly boil’d in Water; in the fecond the Tongue 
 and Breaftof a Roe-buck boil’d ; in the third two 
 Woodhens, the hind Feet or Trotters of a Bear, and 
 
 the 
 
 i^\ 
 
—* t o 6 Some New Voyages 
 
 the Tail of a Beaver, all roafted j and the fourth 
 contain’d a large quantity of Broth made of f eVe . 
 ral forts of Meat. For Drink they gave me a very 
 pleafant Liquor, which was nothing but a Syrrus 
 of Maple beat up with Water,* but of this more 
 c .lew here. I he Feaft lafled two Hours ; after which 
 I imreaced one of the Grandees to ling for me: for 
 in all the Ceremonies made ufe of among the Sa. 
 vagss, ’cis cuflomary to imploy another to a A for 
 em. I made this Grandee a Prefent of fomepie- 
 ces or Tobacco, in order to oblige him to ad my 
 part till Night. Next day, and the day after, I 
 was ob.ig d to go to the Feafts of the other two I 
 Nattons, who obferv’d the fame Formalities. The 
 moft curious thing I f aw in the Villages, was ten 
 or twelve tame Beavers, that went and came like 
 JJogs trorn the Rivers to the Cottages, without ftrae- 
 ! n S ol J to f the Road. I ask’d the Savages if thefe 
 Animals could live out of the Water; and receiv'd 
 this anfwer, that they could live a/hoar as well as 
 Dogs, and. that they had kept fome of ’em above 
 a year, without fuffering them to go near the Ri- 
 vcrs.: From whence I conclude, that the Cafui/ls are 
 out in not ranging Ducks, Geefe, and Teals, in the 
 number of Amphibious Animals,as the Naturaliftsare 
 wont to do. I had heard the fame ftory from fe- 
 veral Americans before; but being apprehcnfivethat 
 there were different Species of Beavers, I had a mind 
 to be better inform’d : And indeed there is a parti- 
 cu .. r ,ki nc * etT b which the Savages call the 7Vr- 
 rejtrial , or Land- Beaver; but at the fame time they 
 you, thefe are of a different Species from the 
 Amphibious fort; for they make Holes or Dens in 
 the Earth, like Rabbets or Foxes, and never go near 
 the Water unlefs it be to drink. They are like- 
 wi e call d by the Savages, the lazy or idle kind, 
 as being expell’d by the other Beavers from the Ken- 
 ne.s in which thefe Animals are lodg’d, to the 
 
 numbey 
 
toNortb America. to7 
 
 number of 80. Thefe Kennels I mean to deferibe 
 afterwards; in the mean time I only take occafion 
 to acquaint you, that the idle fort being unwilling 
 to work, areexpeirdby the others, juft as Wafps 
 are by Bees; and are fo teas’d by ’em, that they 
 are forc’d to quit the Kennels, which the better 
 and more induftrious Race huddles up to themfelves 
 in the Fens. This fupine Beaver refembles the o- 
 ther fort in its Figure, excepting that the Hair is 
 rub’d off the Back and the Belly, which is occafi- 
 on’d by their rubbing againft the Earth when they 
 refurn to, or ftir out from their Holes. 
 
 The Writers of Natural Hiftory are very much 
 out, in fancying that the Beavers cut off their own 
 Tefticles, when purfued by tire Huntfmen ; for that 
 which the Phyficians call Caftoreum, is not lodg’d in 
 theTefticles, but in a certain Bag that Nature feems 
 to have form’d on purpole for thefe Animals, and 
 this Bag they make ufe of to clear their Teeth, af¬ 
 ter the biting of fome gummy Shrub. But fuppo- 
 fing the Tefticles to be the proper Receptacle of 
 the Caftor, we muft ftill conceive that ’tis impofli- 
 ble for a Beaver to pull out his Tefticles, without 
 rending the Nerves of the Groin, in which they are 
 feated juft by the Sharebone. ’Tis manifeft that Elian 
 and feveral other Naturalifts, were fcarce acquaint¬ 
 ed with Beaver-hunting; for had they known any 
 thing of the matter, they would never have talk'd 
 of the purfuing of thefe Animals, which never go 
 from the fide of the Pond where their Kennels are 
 built; and which dive under water upon the 
 leaft noife, and return to their Dens when the 
 danger is over. If thefe Creatures were but fenfl- 
 bla of the reafon for which War is declar’d againft 
 ’em, they would flea themfelves alive ; for ’tis their 
 Skin only chat the Huntfmen want, the value of 
 the Caftor being nothing in companion with that. 
 A great Beaver is twenty fix inches Jong, from 
 
 the 
 
 
i oS Some New Voyages 
 
 the hind-Head, to the root of the Tail. ’Tis a. I 
 fcout three Foot and eight Inches round, its Head I 
 is feven Inches long, and fix broad; its Tail is four, 
 teen Inches long, and fix broad, and about the mid- 
 d!e it has the thicknefs of an Inch and two lines 
 The figure of the Tail is Oval; the Scale with which 
 ’tis cover’d, and which performs the Office of what 
 the Phyficians call the Epidermis or Scarf-skin, is an 
 irregular Hexagon. The Beaver carries upon its 
 Tail the Clay, the Earth and other Materials of 
 which they make their Banks and Kennels, or Hutts, 
 by a wonderful Inffind. Its Ears are fhort, round 
 and hollow; its Legs are five Inches long, its Feet fa 
 Inches and eight Lines, and its Paws are three Inches 
 and a half from the Heel to the end of the great Toe. 
 
 Its Paws are form’d much like a Man’s Hand, and 
 they make ufe of ’em in feeding, as Apes do. The 
 five Toes are joyn’d like thofe of a Duck, with a 
 Membrane of a Slate-colour. Its Eyes are of the let 
 fer fize, in proportion to the bulk of its Body, and 
 bear the figure of a Rats Eyes. Before its Muzzle 
 there are four Fore-Teeth or Cutters, viz,, twoin ! 
 each Jaw, as in a Rabbet, befides which it has fix- ! 
 teen Grinders, that is, eight in the upper, and as 
 many in the lower Mandible. The Cutters are a- 
 bove an Inch long, and ^ of an Inch broad, being 
 very ftrong and/harp like a Cutlas; fora Beaver 
 slliffed by its Aflociates, ( if I may fo call its fellow ! 
 Beavers) cuts down Trees as big as a Hoglhead; 
 which I could never have believ’d, if I had not ob* 
 ferv’d with my own Eyes, above twenty Trunks of 
 Trees cut down in that fafhion A Beaver has two 
 lays of Hair ; one is long, and of a fhining black 
 colour, with a grain as big as that of Mans Hair; 
 the other is fine and fmooth, and in Winter fifteen 
 lines long : In a word, the laft is the fineft Down 
 in the World T he Skin of fuch a Beaver as I have 
 now defcrib’d, will be two pound weight, but the 
 
 price 
 
to North- America. »09 
 
 price varies according to the goodnefs. In Winter 
 . and Autumn the Flelh of a Beavereats very well,if it 
 ® beroafted. Thus, Sir, I haveprefented you with an 
 exad Defcription of thefe reputed Amphibious A- 
 l nimals which make fuch Strudures, that all the Arc 
 of Man can fcarce equal. Upon another occafion 
 ~ perhaps 1 may give you a circumftantial Account 
 : of their wonderful Strudure, which I decline at 
 prefent, becaufe the Digreffion would be too tc- 
 e dious. 
 
 To return to my Voyage. After our arrival in 
 a the Bay of Ponteouatamu , we bid adieu to the Na- 
 E vigation upon the Lakes of Canada ; and fectingout 
 * September 50, arriv’d Otlober 2. at the foot of the fall 
 j 5 of Kakalin, after ftemming fome little Currents in 
 the River of Puants. The next day we accomplish’d 
 c the fmall Land carriage, and on the <;th arriv’d be- 
 M fore the Village of Kikapcus , in the Neighbourhood 
 to of which I incamp’d the next day, in order to re- 
 ceive Intelligence. That Village ftands upon the 
 5! brink of a little Lake, in which the Savages filh. 
 » great quantities of Pikes and Gudgeons. I lound 
 i: only thirty or forty Men fit for War in the place, 
 ji for the reft were gone a Beaver-hunting fome days 
 s before. The 7 tb I reimbarq’d, and rowing hard 
 i, made in the Evening the little Lake of Malominu , 
 il where we kill’d Bucks and Buftards enough for Sup- 
 fi per. We went alhoar that Night, and built Hucts 
 s for our felves upon a point of Land that Ihootsout; 
 li by break of day I went in a Canow to the Village, 
 s and after an hours Conference with fome of tne Sa¬ 
 il vages, prefented ’em with two Rolls of Tobacco, 
 and they by way of Acknowledgment, made me 
 j a prefent of two or three Sacks of Oatmeal: For 
 j the fides of the Lake are cover’d with a fort of Oats, 
 which grows in tufts with a tall Stalk, and of which 
 the Savages reap plentiful Crops. The ytb 1 arriv’d 
 at the foot of Outagam» Fort, where I found but 
 
 few 
 
i io Some TSLew Voyages 
 
 few People ; however, they gave me a very kind 
 Reception, for after dancing the Calumet before 
 the Door of my Hurt, they made me a Prefent of 
 Venifon and Filh. Next day they convey’d me up 
 the River, to the place where their folks were hunt- 
 ing the Beavers. The i ith we imbarq’d, and lan. 
 ded the i yb upon the fhoarof a little Lake, where 
 the Head of that Nation redded. After we had 
 rear’d up our Hutts, that General gave me a Vilit, 
 and inquir’d which way I intended to move, f 
 made anfwer, that I was fo far from defigning to 
 march toward the Nadoue/fious his Enemies, that I 
 fhould not come near’em by ioo Leagues; and to 
 confirm the innocence of my Intentions, I pray’d 
 him to fend fix VVarrious to accompany me to the 
 long River, which I dedgn’d to trace up to its Source. 
 He reply’d, that he was extream glad todndthatl 
 carry’d neither Arms nor Cloathstothe Nadoucffm ; 
 that he faw I had not the equipage of a Coureur It 
 Bois, but that on the contrary, I had fome difcove- 
 ry in my view. At the fame time he caution’d me 
 not to venture too far up that Noble River, bv 
 reafon of the multitudes of People that I would 
 find there, though they have no ftomach for War: 
 I-Ie mean’d, that fome numerous Party might fur* 
 prife me in the Night-time. In the mean time, in- 
 Jlead of the fix Warriours that I defir’d, he gave 
 me ten, who underlfood the Lingua, and knew 
 the Country of the Eokoros, with whom his Na¬ 
 tion had maintain’d a Peace of twenty years ftand- 
 ing. I ftay d two days with this General, during 
 which time he regal’d me nobly, and walk’d about 
 with me to give me the Satisfaction of obfervingthe 
 diipolure ot the Cottages of the Beaver-hunters; 
 a defcription of which, you may expeCt in another 
 place ; l prefented him with a Fufee, twelve Flint* 
 hones, two pound of Powder, four pound of Ball, 
 and a little Axe, and I gave each of his two Sons a 
 
 great 
 
to North America. 
 
 i s 1 
 
 ■ great Coat, and a Roll of Brajil Tobacco: Two of 
 c the ten Warriours that he gave me, could fpeak the 
 5 Language of the Outaoua r, which I was well pleas’d 
 with j not that I was a ftranger to their own Lan- 
 66 guage, for between that and the Algonkin there is no 
 5 ‘ ; great difference, but in regard that there were fe- 
 vcral words that puzled the. My four Outaouas were 
 [ * tranfported with this little Reinforcement, and were 
 1(1 then fo incouraged, that they told me above four 
 ® times, that we might venture fafely fo far as the 
 P Plantation of the Sun. I embarqcd with this fmall 
 V Guard the i 6 tb about Noon, and arriv’d that Night 
 at the Land-carriage of Ouijconfinc, which we fi¬ 
 ll: nifh’d in two days, that is, we left the River of 
 b Puants, and tranfported our Canows and Baggage 
 bi to the River Oui/confinc , which is not above three 
 it quarters of a League diftanr, or thereabouts. I 
 iii mail fay nothing of the River we left, but that ’twas 
 b Muddy, full of Shelves, and inclofed with a deep 
 ti Coaft, Marfhes, and frightful Rocks, 
 si The i <)ih we embarqu’d upon the River Ouif- 
 fe confine , and being favour’d by a flack Current, ar- 
 Ii riv’d in four days at the place, where it empties it 
 fe felf into the River Mijfifipi , which is about half a 
 ty League broad in that part. The force of the Cur¬ 
 as rent, and the breadth of that River, is much the 
 |j fame as that of the Loire. It lies North-Eaft, and 
 j South-Weft j and its fides are adorn’d with Meadows, 
 
 I lofty Trees and Firs. I obferv’d but two Iflands up- 
 jj on it, though there may be more, which the dark- 
 i nefs of the Night hid from us as we came down. 
 j|j The -2.%d we landed upon an Ifland in the River 
 
 Mijfifipi , oyer againft the River I fpoke of but now., 
 and were in hopes to find fome wild Goats there, 
 but had the ill fortune to find none. The day af¬ 
 ter we croft to t’other fide of the River, founding it 
 
 II every where, as we had done the day before, and 
 ; fo und nine loot water in thelhalloweft place. The 
 
 zd of 
 
) 
 
 1 1 1 Some New Voyages 
 
 id of November we made the Mouth of the Lmt 
 River, having firft ftem’d feveral rapid Currents of 
 that River, though ’twas then at loweft Ebb. I n 
 this little paflage we kill’d feveral wild Beeves which 
 we broil’d, and catch’d feveral large Dabs. On the 
 we enter d the Mouth of the Long River } which 
 looks like a Lake full of Bull-rufhes j we found in 
 the middle of it a narrow Channel, upon which 
 we fleer’d till Night, and then lay by to fleep in 
 our Canows. In the Morning I enquir’d of my 
 ten Outagamis, if we had far to fail before we were 
 clear of the Rufhes, and receiv’d this anfwer, that 
 they had never been in the Mouth of that River 
 before, though at the fame time they allur’d me, 
 that about twenty Leagues higher, the Banks of it 
 were clad with Woods and Meadows. But after 
 all we did not fail fo far, for about ten a Clock 
 next Morning the River came pretty narrow, and 
 the Shoar was cover’d with lofty Trees; and after 
 continuing our courfe the reft of that day, wehad 
 a piofped of Meadows now and then. Thatfame 
 Night we landed at a point of Land, withadelign 
 to drefs our broil d Meat, for at that time we had 
 
 Tn ne j fre *“‘/- T,1< : next .' da y we ftop’d at the firft 
 Jlland we faw, in which we found neither Man 
 nor Beafl • and the Evening drawing near, I was 
 unwilling to venture far into it, fo we e’en con¬ 
 tented our (elves with the catching of fome fortyFilh. 
 Tne 6 th a gentle Gale fprung up, which wafted us 
 to another Ifland about 12 Leagues higher, where 
 we landed. . Our paflage to this place was very 
 quick, notwithstanding the great calm that always 
 prevails upon this River, which I take to be the leaft 
 rapid River in the World. But thequicknefsofthe 
 pa iage was not the only furprifal, for I was amaz’d 
 that 1 law no Harts, nor Bucks, nor Turkeys, ha- 
 ving met with em all along in the other parts of 
 my Difcovery. The 7 th the fame Wind drove us 
 
to North America. 11 $ 
 
 & to a third Ifland, chat lay ten or twelve Leagues 
 off the former, which we quitted in the Morning. 
 ® In this third Ifland our Savages kill'd thirty or forty 
 ,61 Pheafants, which I was not ill pieas’d with. 
 
 The 8 th the Wind proving unferviceable to us, 
 *il by realon that ’twas intercepted by Hills cover’d 
 t with Firs, we ply’d our Oars; and about two in the 
 ® Afternoon, defcry’d on the left Hand large Mea- 
 ^ dows,and fome Hutts at the dillance of a quarter of a 
 League from the River. Upon this Dilcovery, our 
 Savages and ten of the Soldiers jump’d upon the 
 fe Ihoar, and dire&ed their courfe to the Houfes, where 
 lb they found fifty or fixty Huntfmen prepar’d to re¬ 
 lit ceive ’em, with their Bows and Arrows. As foon 
 iii as the Huntfmen heard the voice of the Outagamu, 
 
 i they threw down their Arms, and prefented the 
 Di Company with fome Deet that they had juft kill’d, 
 mi which they likewife help’d to carry to my Canows. 
 a The Benefadors were fome of the Eokoros, who had 
 [, left their Villages, and come thither to hunt I pre- 
 E fented ’em, more out of Policy, than Acknowledg- 
 
 ii ment, with Tobacco, Knives and Needles, which 
 ti they could not but admire. Upon this, they re- 
 ii pair’d with expedition to their Villages, and gave 
 k their Alfociates to underhand, what a good fort of 
 l People they had met with ; which had fo much in- 
 15 fiuence, that the next day towards the Evening, 
 \ there appear’d upon the River fide above two thou- 
 K land Savages, who fell a dancing as foon as they 
 
 ■ defcry’d us. Thereupon, owOutagamu went alhoar, 
 ,j and after a Ihort Conference, fome of the princi- 
 
 () pal Savages imbarqu’d on board of our Canows, 
 
 and fo we all fleer’d to the chief Village, which we 
 did not reach till Midnight. I order’d our Hutts 
 to be made up on a point of Land near a little Ri¬ 
 ver, at thediftanceof a quarter of a League from 
 the Village. Though the Savages prefs’d me ex- 
 treamly to lodge in one of their Villages, yet none 
 
 I went 
 
1 f 4 Some New Voyages 
 
 went with ’em but the Outagamu , and the fourO«- 
 taouas, who at the fame time caution’d the Savages 
 not to approach to our Camp in the Night time. 
 Next day I allow’d my Soldiers to refrefh and reft 
 themfelves; and went my felf to vifu the Gran¬ 
 dees of this Nation, to whom I gave Prefents of 
 Knives, Ciffars, Needles, and Tobacco. They gave 
 me to underftand, that they were infinitely well 
 pleas’d with our arrival in t^eir Country, for that 
 they had heard the Savages of other Nations fpeak 
 very honourably of the French. I took leave of ’em 
 on the 12th, and fet out with a Convoy of fiveor 
 fix hundred Savages, who march’d upon the fhoar, 
 keeping pace with our Canows. We pafs’d by a- 
 nother Village that lay to the right Hand, andftop’d 
 at a third Village that was five Leagues diftant from 
 the firfl, but did not difimbarque : For all that I 
 defign’d, was to make a Prefent to the leading Men 
 of the Village, from whom I receiv’d more him 
 Corn, and broil’d or dry’d Meat, than I had occafion 
 for. In fine, I pafs’d from Village to Village without 
 flopping, unlefs it were to incamp all Night, or to 
 prefent the Savages with fome Trinkets; and fo 
 fleer'd on to the lafl Village, with a defign to get 
 fome Intelligence. As foon as we arriv’d at the 
 end of this Village, the Great Governour, who in¬ 
 deed was a venerable old Gentleman, fent out Hunt¬ 
 ers to bring us good Cheer. He inform’d me, that 
 fixty Leagues higher I fhould meet with the Nation 
 of the Ejjanapes, who wag’d War with him; that 
 if it had not been for their being at War, he would 
 have given me a Convoy to their Country; that, 
 however he mean’d to give up tome fix Slaves of 
 that Country, which I might carry home, and make 
 ule of as I faw occafion; and that in failing up the Ri¬ 
 ver, I had nothing to fear, but the being lurpriz’d 
 in the Night-time. In fine, after he had inftruded 
 me in federal very ufeful Circumftances, I immedi- 
 
to North-America. 11 j 
 
 ately made every thing ready for my Departure, 
 The Commanders of this People acquainted me, 
 that they had twelve Villages peopled by 20000 
 K Warriours; that their number was much greater 
 tt before the War, which they wag’d atone time with 
 ~ the NadoncJJis, the Panimoha, and the Ejjanafes The 
 Is People are very civil, and fo far from a wild Savage 
 t temper, that they have an Air of Humanity and 
 fc Sweetnefs Their Hutts are long, and round at the top, 
 
 « not unlike thofe of our Savages; but they are made of 
 ik Reeds and Bull cfh-:s, interlac’d and cemented with a 
 i fort of fat Earth. Both the Men and the Women go na¬ 
 if; ked all over, excepting their Privities. The Women are 
 Ei not fo handfom, as thofe who livoupon the Lakes of 
 a Canada. There feems to be fomething of Govern- 
 k ment and Subordination among this People; and 
 li they have their Houles fortified with the branches 
 fe of Trees, and Fafcines ftrengthen’d with fat Earth. 
 
 The 21 Jt we imbarqu’d at the break of day, and' 
 1 landed that Night in an Ifland cover’d with btones 
 
 if and Gravel, having pafs’d by another at which I 
 
 would not put in, becaufe I would not flight the 
 1 opportunity of the Wind, which then flood very 
 fair. Next day the Wind (landing equally fair, 
 j we fet out and continued our corn fe all .-hat Day, 
 
 : and the following Night; for the fix EJJanapes in¬ 
 
 form’d us, that the River was clean, and free from 
 Rocks and Beds of Sand. The 23 we landed early 
 j in the Morning on the right fide of the River, in 
 order to careen one of our Boats that fprung a 
 Leak. While that was a doing, we dreft fome Ve- 
 nifon that had been prefented me by the Comman¬ 
 der of the laft Village of the Eokoros ; and the ad¬ 
 jacent Country being replenilh d with Woods, the 
 Savages of our Company went a (hooting in tne 
 Forefls ; but they faw nothing but final! Fowls, that 
 they did not think fit to (hoot at. As foon as we 
 reimbarqu’d, the Wind fell all of a fudden, and fo 
 
 I 2 we 
 
116 Some New Voyages 
 
 we were forc’d to ply the Oars; but' moft of the 
 Crew having flept but little the Night before, they 
 row’d but very faintly, which oblig’d me to put in 
 at a great Ifland two Leagues higher; the fix Ef- 
 fanapes Slaves having inform’d me, that this Ifland 
 afforded great plenty of Hares, which I found to 
 be true. Thefe Animals had a lucky Inftinft in 
 taking fhelter in this Ifland, for there the Woods 
 are fo thick, that we were forc’d to fet fire to feve- 
 ral places, before we could diflodge ’em. 
 
 Having made an end of our Game, my Soldi¬ 
 ers fed heartily, and thereupon fell fo found afleep, 
 that I could fcarce get ’em wak’d upon a falfe A- 
 larm, occafion’d by a Herd of Wolves that made a 
 noife among the Thickets upon the Continent. We 
 reimbarqued next day at tei^a Clock in the Morn¬ 
 ing, and did not run above twelve Leagues in two 
 days, by reafon that the Savages of our Company 
 would needs walk along the River fide with their 
 Guns, to fliooc Geefe and Ducks; in which they had 
 very good Succefs. After that we incampt juft by the 
 Mouth of a little River on the right Hand, and the 
 EJJanapes Slaves gave me notice, that the firft of their 
 Villages was not above fixteen or eighteen Leagues 
 off. Upon this Information, I fent, by the advice 
 of the Savages of our Company, two of the Slaves 
 to give notice of our arrival. The 2 6 th we row’d 
 briskly, in hopes to reach the firft Village that day j 
 but being retarded by the huge quantities of float¬ 
 ing Wood, that we met in feveral places, we were 
 fojtfd To-continue all Night in our Canows. The 
 -2.-th about ten or eleven a Clock we approach’d to 
 the Village, and after putting up the great Calumet 
 of Peace upon the Prow of our Canows, lay upon 
 our Oars. 
 
 Upon our firft appearance, three or four hundred 
 EJJanapes came running to the fhoar, and, after dan¬ 
 cing juft over againft us, invited us a fhoar. As foon 
 
 as 
 
to North America.it7 
 
 8 as we came near the /hoar, they began to jump in- 
 
 1,: to our Canows; but I gave ’em to know by the 
 
 H four EJJanapes Slaves, that I defir’d they fhould re- 
 
 & tire, which they did immediately. Then I landed, 
 
 ij being accompany’d with the Savages of our Com¬ 
 te pany, namely, the Outagamis, and the Outaouas, and 
 
 fc with twenty Soldiers. At the fame time I gave or- 
 
 :! ders to my Sergeants, to land and poft Centries. 
 
 it! As we flood upon the fhoar, all the EJJanapes proftra- 
 
 ted themfelves three or four times before us, with 
 their Hands upon their Foreheads; after which we 
 j; were convoy’d to the Village with fuch Acclamati- 
 
 (jj ons of Joy, as perfedly ftun’d us. Upon our arri- 
 
 E val at the Gate, our Condu&ors ftop’d us, till the 
 
 5. Governour, a Man of fifty years of Age, march d 
 
 j out with five or fix hundred Men arm’d with Bow* 
 
 and Arrows. The Outagamis of my Company per- 
 r ceiving this, charg’d ’em with Infolence in receiv¬ 
 ing Strangers with their Arms about ’em, and call’d 
 *, out in the Eokoros Language, that they ought to lay 
 down their Arms. But the EJJanapes Slaves that I 
 had fentin the day before, came up to me, and 
 gave me to underhand, that ’twas their cuftom to 
 hand to their Arms on fuch occafions, and that 
 there was no danger in the cafe. However, the ob- 
 ftinate Outagamis oblig’d us to retire immediately 
 to our Canows: Upon which the Leading Officer, 
 and the whole Battalion, flung their Bows and Ar¬ 
 rows afide all on a fudden. Then I return d, and 
 our whole Company enter’d the Village with their 
 Fufees in their Hands, which the Savages admir’d 
 mightily. The Leader of the Savages conduded us 
 to a great Hutt, which look’d as if no body had 
 liv’d in it before. When I and my twenty Soldiers 
 l! had enter’d the place, they ftop’d the Outagamis > 
 affirming, that they did not delerve the priviledge 
 of entring within the Cottage of Peace, fince they 
 had endeavour’d to create a difference, and occafi- 
 1 I 5 on 
 
on a War between us and the Ejjanapes. In the 
 mean time I order’d my Men to open the Door, 
 and to call out to the Outagamis, that they fhould 
 offer no manner of Injury: But the Outagamis in 
 Bead of coming in, prefs’d me to return with all 
 expedition to the Canows, which accordingly I 
 did, without lofs of time, and carry’d with me the 
 four EJJanapes Slaves, in order to leave ’ematthefirft 
 Village we came to. We had no fooner imbarqued, 
 than the two ocher Slaves came to acquaint me that 
 the Governor would flop me in his River; but 
 the Outagamis made anfwer, that he could not do 
 that without throwing a Mountain into it. In 
 fine, we did not ftand to difpute the matter; and 
 tho’ ’twas then late, we row’d ffraight to the next 
 Village, which lay about three Leagues off. Du¬ 
 ring the time of this paffage, I us’d the precaution 
 of taking from my fix Slaves an exad information 
 of the Conftituticn of their Country, and particu¬ 
 larly of the principal Village. They having affur’d 
 me, that the Capital Canton was feated upon a 
 fort of a Lake, I took up a Refolution of not 
 flopping at the other Villages, where I fhould only 
 lofe time, andlavifh my Tobacco, and fleering di- 
 redly to the Metropolitan, in order ro complain to 
 their Generaliffimo. 
 
 We arriv’d at the Capital Canton on the ;d of 
 November, and there met with a very honourable 
 Reception. The Outagamis of our Company com¬ 
 plain’d of the affront they had receiv’d; but the 
 Head General being already inform'd of the mat¬ 
 ter, made anfwer, that they ought to have carry d 
 off the Governour or Leading Officer, and brought 
 him along with them. In palling from the firft Vil¬ 
 lage to this we run fifty Leagues, and were follow’d 
 by a Proceffion of People, thatj were much more 
 fociable than the Governour that offer’d us that Af¬ 
 front. After our Men had fitted up our Hutts at 
 
 the 
 
to North- America. v»^/ l \ 9 
 
 l the diftance of a Cannon ihot from the Village ; 
 
 J we went in a joynt body with the Outagamis and 
 l the OutaouM , to the Cacick of that Nation ; and in 
 a, the mean time the Ejjanapes Slaves were brought be- 
 fore him by ten of my Soldiers. I was actually in the 
 i :; prefence of this petty King, when thefe Slaves fpenc 
 ij half an hour in proftrating themfelves feveral times 
 ^ before him. I made him a Prefent of Tobacco, 
 
 ^ Knives, Needles, Ciflars, two Firelocks with Flints, 
 
 E : fome Hooks, and a very pretty Cutlas. He was 
 
 [j, better fatisfied with thefe trifling things, which he 
 
 |’ had never feen before, than I could have been with 
 
 J:.' a plentiful Fortune. He teftified his Acknowledg- 
 
 ' r ment of the Gift, by a Counter-prefent that was 
 
 r more folid, though not much more valuable, as 
 
 j confifting of Peafe, Beans, Harts, Roe bucks, Geefe 
 
 ’ and Ducks, of which he fent great plenty to our 
 
 Z Camp: And indeed, we were extreamly wellfatis- 
 
 ; fied with fuch a feafonable Prefent. He gave me 
 
 ■ to know, That, fince I defign’d to vifit the Gnacfi- 
 
 j" tares, he would give me a Convoy of two or three 
 
 ’ hundred Men: That the Gnacfitarts were a very ho- 
 
 neft fort of People; and that both they and his 
 People were link’d by a common intereft in guard¬ 
 ing off the Mozeemlek, which were a turbulent and 
 warlike Nation. He added, that the Nation laft 
 mention’d were very numerous; that they never 
 took the Field without twenty thoufand Men at leaft; 
 That to reprefs the Incurfions and Infults c>f that 
 ,J£l -dangerous Enemy, the Gnacfitares and his Nation had 
 maintain’d a Confederacy tor fix and twenty years; 
 and that his Allies ( the Gnacfitarts ) were forc’d to 
 take up their Habitation in lflands, where the Ene¬ 
 my cannot reach ’em. I was glad to accept of his 
 Convoy, and return’d him many thanks. I ask’d 
 four Pirogues of him, which he granted very frank- 
 ly, allowing me to pick and choofe that number out 
 of fifty. Having thus concerted ray Meafures, I 
 III I 4 was 
 
120 Some New Voyages 
 
 was refolv’d to lofe no time; and with that view 
 order’d my Carpenters to plane the Pirogues • by 
 which they were thinner and lighter by one half. The 
 poor innocent People of this Country, could not 
 conceive how we work’d with an Axe; every ftroke 
 we gave they cry’d out, as if they had feen fome 
 new Prodigy ; nay, the firing of Piftols could not 
 divert em from that Amazement, though they were 
 c ,! y Grangers both to the Piftol and the Axe" 
 A*, i y> n as my Pirogues were got ready, I left my 
 Canows with the Governour or Prince, and beg'd 
 of him that they might remain untouch’d bv any 
 body ; in which point he was very faithful to me. 
 
 _ I cannot but acquaint you in this place, that the 
 higher I went up the River, I met with more dif. 
 cretion from the Savages. Butin the mean time 1 
 mult not take leave of the laft Village, without giv- 
 mg lome account of it. ’Tis bigger than all the 
 reft and is the Refidence of the Great Commander 
 or Generaliffimo, whofe Apartment is built by it 
 felf towards the fide of the Lake, and furrounded 
 with fifty other Apartments, in which all his Rela- 
 tions are lodg d. When he walks, his way is ftrow’d 
 with the leaves of Trees: But commonly he is 
 carry d by fix Slaves. His Royal Robes are of the 
 lame Magnificence with thofe of the Commander 
 of the Okoros: For he is naked all over, excepting 
 his lower parts, which are cover’d with a large 
 Scarf made of the barks of Trees. The large extent 
 of this Vilbge might juftly intitle it to the nameof 
 a City, a he Honfes are built almoft like Ovens, 
 but they are large and high ; and moft of ’em are 
 ot Reeds cemented with fat Earth. The day be- 
 
 C f t l,S ^ Ce ’ as 1 was walkin g about, I faw 
 h ‘ y fo % w pmen running at full fpced ; and 
 g furpnsd with the fpedacle, fpoke to theO«- 
 ^ 7 V° f ?i er c m y four Slaves to fee what the matter 
 , for thefe Slaves were my only Interpreters in 
 
 this 
 
to North America. 121 
 
 this unknown Country. Accordingly they brought 
 
 
 111 
 
 me word, that ’twas fome new married Women, 
 who were running to receive the Soul of an old 
 ; Fellow that lay a dying. From thence I concluded, 
 ■ ! that the People were Pythagoreans ; and upon that 
 Apprehenfion, ask’d ’em how they came to eat A- 
 
 fo that the Soul of a Man cannot enter into a Fowl, 
 
 - and fo on. The Okoros, of both Sexes, are fully as 
 handfom and as clever, as this People. 
 
 December the 4 th, I took leave of this Village, ha- 
 m ving ten Soldiers on board of my Pirogue, befides 
 a i the ten Oumamis, the four Outaouas, and the four EJfa- 
 napes Slaves, that I have mention’d fo often. Here 
 • il ended the Credit and Authority of the Calumet of 
 Peace, for the Gnacftares are not acquainted with 
 't that Symbol of Concord. The firft day we had 
 ra enough to do to run fix or feven Leagues, by rea¬ 
 ls fon of the Bulrufhes with which the Lake is in* 
 it cumber’d. The two following days we fail’d twen- 
 lt ty Leagues. The 4 th day a Weft-North- Weft wind 
 ti furpris’d us with fuch a boifterous violence, that we 
 were forc’d to put afhoar, and lay two days upon 
 a fandy Ground, where we were in danger of ftar- 
 1 ving for Hunger and Cold ; for the Country wasfo 
 >: barren, that we could not find a chip of Wood 
 jj wherewith to warm our felves, or todrefs our Viftu- 
 0 als ; and as far as cur Eye could reach, there was 
 <; nothing to be feen but Fens cover’d with Reeds 
 and Clay, and naked Fields. Having indur’d this 
 Hardfhip we fet out again, and row’d to a little 
 Ifland, upon which we incamp’d, but found no¬ 
 thing there but green Fields; however, to make fome 
 amends we fifh’d up great numbers of little Trouts, 
 upon which we fed very heartily. At laft, after 
 
 failing 
 
5 12 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 failing fix days more, we arriv’d at the Point or 
 Lands-end of that Ifland which you fee mark’d in 
 my Map with a Flower-de-luce. ’Twas then the 
 iych day of December, and we had not yet felt all 
 the rigorous Hard/hips of the Cold AsfoonasI 
 had landed and fitted up my Tents or Hutts, I de¬ 
 tach’d my Ejfanapes Slaves to the firft of the three 
 Villages that lay before us; for I had avoided flop¬ 
 ping at fome Villages in an Ifland upon which we 
 coafted in the Night-time. The Slaves return’d in 
 a great Alarm, occafion’d by the unfavourable An- 
 fwer they receiv'd from the Gnacfitares, who took us 
 for Spaniards, and were angry with them for con¬ 
 ducing us to their Country. I fliall not be minute 
 in every Particular that happen’d, for fear of tyring 
 your Patience Tis fufficient to acquaint you that 
 upon the Report of my Slaves I immediately em¬ 
 bark’d, and^polled my felf in another Ifland that 
 lay in the middle between the great Ifland and the 
 Continent; but I did not fuffer the EJJ'anapes to he 
 in my Camp. In the mean time the Gnacfitam fer.t 
 expeditious Couriers to the People that live eighty 
 Leagues to the Southward of them, to defire they 
 would fend fome of their number to examine us; for 
 that People were fuppos’d to be well acquainted with 
 the Spaniards of New Mexico. The length of the 
 Journey did not difeourage’em, for they came as 
 chearfuily as if it had been upon a National Con¬ 
 cern : and after taking a view of our Cloaths, our 
 Swords, our Fufees, our Air, Complexion, and 
 manner of Speech, were forc’d to own that we were 
 not true Spaniards? Thefe Confiderations, join’d to 
 the Account I gave ’em of the Reafons upon which 
 I undertook the Voyage, of the War we were ingag’d 
 in againft Spain, and of the Country to the Eaftward 
 that we poffefs’d; thefe, I fay, had fo much influ¬ 
 ence, as to undeceive ’em. Then they invited me 
 so encamp in their Ifland, and brought me a fort of 
 
 Grain 
 
to North- America. '2; 
 
 Grain not unlike our Lentils, that grows plentifully 
 in that Country. I thank’d ’em for their Invitation, 
 and told ’em that I would not be oblig’d to difiruft 
 them, nor give them any occafion to diftruft me. 
 However, I crofs’d with my Savages and ten Sol¬ 
 diers well arm’d ; and after breaking the Ice in cer¬ 
 tain places ( for it had fieez’d hard for ten or twelve 
 days) I landed within two Leagues of one of their 
 Villages, to which I walk’d up by Land. ’ i is need- 
 lefs to mention the Particulars of the Ceremony with 
 which I was receiv’d, it being the fame with what I 
 defcrib’d upon other occalions; I fhall only takeocca- 
 fion to acquaint you, that my Prefents made a won¬ 
 derful Imprelfion upon the Minds of thefe People, 
 whom I fliall call a rafcally Rabble, tho’ at the fame 
 time they are the politeft Nation I have yet feen in 
 this Country. Their Governour bears the Figure of 
 a King more than any of the other Commanders of 
 the Savages. He has an abfoiute Dominion over all 
 the Villages which are defcrib’d in my Map. In this 
 and the other Iflands I faw large Parks, or Inclofures, 
 flock d with wild Beeves for the ufe of the People. I 
 had an Interview for two hours together with the Go¬ 
 vernour, or the Cacickj and almofl our whole Confe¬ 
 rence related to the Spaniards of New Mexico , who, as 
 he affured me, were not diflant from his Country a- 
 bove eighty Tazjus, each of which is three Leagues. I 
 muft own indeed, I was as curious upon this Head 
 as he was; and I wanted an Account of the Spani¬ 
 ards from him, as much as he did from me: In fine, 
 we reciprocally inform’d one another of a great ma¬ 
 ny Particulars relating to that Head. He requefted 
 me to accept of a great Houfe that was prepar’d for 
 me; and his firft piece of Civility confifted in calling 
 in a great many Girls, and prefli g me and my Re¬ 
 tinue to ferve our felves. Had this Temptation been 
 thrown in our way at a more feafonable time, it had 
 prov’d irrefiftible; but ’twas not an agreeable Mefs 
 
124 Some New Voyages 
 
 for Paflengers that were infeebled by Labour and 
 Want. Sine Cerere & Baccho friget Venus. After he 
 msde us fuch a civil Proffer, the Savages, upon my 
 inftance, reprefented to him, that my Detachment 
 expeded me at a certain hour, and that if I (fay’d 
 longer, they would be in pain for me. This Adven¬ 
 ture happen’d on the 7th of January. 
 
 Two days after, the Cacick came to fee me, and 
 brought with him four hundred of his own Subjedb, 
 and four Mozeemlek Savages, whom I took for Spa. 
 wards. My Mi flake was occafion’d by the great dif¬ 
 ference between thefe two American Nations; for, 
 the Mozeemlek Savages were cloath’d, they had a 
 thick bufhy Beard, and their Hair hung down un¬ 
 der their E rs ; their Complexion was fwarthy, their 
 Addrefs was civil and fubmiffive, their Meen grave, ' 
 and their Carriage engaging. Upon thefe Confide- 
 rations I could not imagine that they were Savages, 
 tho’ after all I found my felf miftaken. Thefe four 
 Slaves gave me a Defcription of their Country, which 
 the Gnacfttares reprefented by way of a Map upon a 
 Deer’s Skin ; as you fee it drawn in this Map. Their 
 Villages Hand upon a River that fprings out of a ridge 
 of Mountains, from which the Long River likewife 
 derives its Source, there being a great many Brooks 
 there which by a joint Confluence form the River. 
 When the Gnacfttares have a mind to hunt wild 
 Beeves, they fetPut in Pirogues, which they make ufe 
 of till they cohie to the Crofs mark'd thus (•+) in 
 the Map, at the Confluence of two little Rive s. The 
 Hunting of the wild Bulls, with which all the Val¬ 
 leys are cover’d in Summer, is fometimes the occafi- 
 on of a cruel War: For the other Crofs (-|-) which 
 you fee in the Map is one of the Boundaries or Li¬ 
 mits of Mozeemlek ; and if either of thefe two Nati¬ 
 ons advances but a little beyond their Limits, it gives 
 Rife to a bloody Engagement. The Mountains I 
 fpoke of but now, are fix Leagues broad, and fo high 
 
 that 
 
ft 
 
 ft 
 
 I 
 
 £ 
 
 fli 
 
 ill 
 
 IK 
 
 it 
 
 :p 
 
 IDE 
 
 fli 
 
 is 
 
 tii 
 
 Us 
 
 BJJ 
 
 ! ? 
 
 i 
 
 k: 
 
 0 
 
 1 
 
 (| 
 
 r,: 
 
 l! 
 
 St 
 
 jgi 
 
 fli 
 
 i 
 
 % 
 
 to North America. 115 
 
 that one mull caft an infinity of Windings and Tur-. 
 nings before he can crofs ’em. Bears and wild Beads 
 are their only Inhabitants. 
 
 The Mozsemleck Nation is numerous and puiffant. 
 The four Slaves of that Country inform’d me, that 
 at the diftance of 1 fo Leagues from the Place where 
 1 then was, their principal River empties it felfinco 
 a Salt Lake of three hundred Leagues in Circumfe¬ 
 rence, the mouth of which is about two Leagues 
 broad: That the lower part of that River is adorn’d 
 with fix noble Cities, furrounded with Stone cemen¬ 
 ted with tat Earth: That the Houfes of thefe Cities 
 have no Roofs, but are open above like a Platform, 
 as you fee ’em drawn in the Map: That betides the 
 abovemention'd Cities, there were above an hundred 
 Towns, great and fmall, round that fort of Sea, up¬ 
 on which they navigate with fuch Boats as you fee 
 drawn in the Map: That the People of that Country 
 made Stuffs, Copper Axes, and feveral other Manu¬ 
 factures, which the Outagamu and my other Inter¬ 
 preters could not give me to underftand, as being al¬ 
 together unacquainted with fuch things: That their 
 Government was Defpotick, and lodg’d in the hands 
 of one great Head, to whom the reft paid a trem¬ 
 bling Submiffion: That the People upon that Lake 
 call themfelves Tahugluuk, and are as numerous as 
 the Leaves of Trees, ( fuch is the Expreffion flat the 
 Savages ufe for an Hyperbole:) That the Mozeemuk 
 People fupply the Cities or Towns of the JabugUuk 
 with great numbers of little Calves, which they take 
 upon the abovemention’d Mountains: and, That 
 the Tabuglauk make ufe of thefe Calves for feveral 
 ends; tor, they not only eat their Flefh, but bring 
 •’em up to Labour, and make Cloaths, Boots, &c. 
 of their Skins. They added. That ’twas their Mis¬ 
 fortune to be took Prifoners by the Gnacfitares in the 
 War which had lafted for eighteen Yeats; bur, that 
 they hoped a Peace would be fpeedily concluded, 
 
 upon 
 
\i6 Some New Voyages 
 
 upon which the Prifoners would be exchang’d, pm. 
 fuant to the ufual Cuftom. They glory’d in the 
 poffeffion of a greater meafure of Reafon than the 
 Gnacfitares could pretend to, to whom they allow no 
 more than the Figure of a Man ; for they look upon 
 ’em as Beafts otherwife. To my mind, their Notion 
 upon this Head is not fo very extravagant j for I ob« 
 ferv'd fo much Honour and Politenefs in the Con- 
 verlation ot thefe four Slaves, that I thought I had 
 to do with Europeans: But, after all, I muft confefs, 
 that the Gnacfitaes are the moll tradable Nation I 
 met with among all the Savages. One of the four 
 Mozeemlek Slaves had a reddilh fort of a Copper Me¬ 
 dal hanging upon his Neck, the Figure of which is 
 reprefented in the Map. I had it melted by Mr. dt 
 Eonti's Gun-fmith, who underftood fomething of 
 Mettals; but it became'thereupon heavier, and deep¬ 
 er colour’d, and withal fomewhat tradable. I delir’d 
 the Slaves to give me a circumftantial Account of 
 thefe Medals; and accordingly they gave me to un- 
 derftand, that they are made by the Tabuglauk, who 
 are excellent Artizans, and put a great value upon 
 fuch Medals. I could pump nothing farther out of 
 ’em, with relation to the Country, Commerce and 
 Cultoms of that remote Nation. AH they could fay 
 was, that the great River of that Nation runs all a- 
 Iong Weft ward, and that the fait Lake into which it 
 falls is three hundred Leagues in Circumference, and 
 thirty in breadth, its Mouth ftretching a great way 
 to the Southward. I would fain have fatisfied my 
 Curiofity in being an eye-wirnefs of the Manners 
 and Cuftoms of the Tabuglauk ; but that being im- 
 pradicable, I was forc’d to be inftruded at fecond 
 hand by thefe AEzeemltk Slaves; who allur’d me, 
 upon the Faith of a Savage, that the Tabuglauk wear 
 their Beards two Fingers breadth long; that their 
 Garments reach down to their Knees; that they co¬ 
 ver their Heads with a lharp-pointed Cap; that they 
 
 always 
 
to North America,. **7 
 
 always wear a long Stick or Cane in their hands, 
 which is tipp'd, not unlike what we ufe in Eu¬ 
 rope; that they wear a fort of Boots upon their Legs 
 which reach up to the Knee; that their Women ne¬ 
 ver {hew themfelves which perhaps proceeds from 
 the fame Principle that prevails in Italy and Spain ; 
 and, in fine, that this People are always at War with 
 the puiflant Nations that are feated in the Neigh¬ 
 bourhood of the Lake ; but withal, that they never 
 difquiet the ftrowling Nations that fall in their way, 
 by realon of their Weaknefs: An admirable Leflon 
 for fome Princes in the World, who are fo much in¬ 
 tent upon the making ufe of the ftrongeft hand. 
 
 This was all I could gather upon that Subjedh My 
 Curiofity prompted me to defire a more particular 
 Account; but unluckily I wanted a good Interpre¬ 
 ter : and having to do with feveral Perfons that did 
 not well underhand themfelves, I could make no¬ 
 thing of their incoherent Fuftian. I prefented the 
 poor miferable Slaves with fomething in proportion 
 to the Cuftom of that Country, and endeavour’d to 
 perfwade ’em to go with me to Canada , by making 
 ’em fuch Offers as in their efteem would appear like 
 Mountains of Gold : but the love they had for their 
 Country ftifled all Perfwafion; fo true it is, that Na¬ 
 ture reduc’d to its juft Limits cares but little for 
 Riches. 
 
 In the mean time it began to thaw, and the Wind 
 chop’d about to the South-weft ; upon which I gave 
 notice to the great Cacie/ue of the Gnacfitares , that I 
 had a mind to return to Canada . Upon that occafion 
 I repeated my Prefents; in compenfation of which, 
 my Pirogues were ftow’d with Beef as full as they 
 could hold. This done, I embark'd, and crofs’d o- 
 ver from the little Ifland to the Continent, where I 
 fixd a great long Pole, with the Arms of France A one 
 upon a Plare of Lead. I fet out the 26th of fannary , 
 and arriv’d fafe on the yth of February in the Country 
 
128 Some Neu> Voyages 
 
 of the E/far.apes. We had much more pleafure in 
 failing down the River, than we had in going up ; 
 for we had the agreeable diverfion of feeing feveral 
 Huntfmen (hooting the Water-Fowl, that are plen¬ 
 tiful upon that River. You mull know, that the 
 Stream of the Long River is all along very flack and 
 eafie, abating for about three Leagues between the 
 fourteenth and fifteenth Village ; for there indeed its 
 Current may be call'd rapid. The Channel is fo 
 ftraight, that it fcarce winds at all from the Head to 
 the Lake. ’Tis true ’tis not very pleafant; for moft 
 of its Banks have a difmal Profped, and the Water 
 it felf has an ugiy Tafte: but then its Ufefulnefs at- 
 tones for fuch Inconveniencies; for, ’tis navigable 
 with the greateft eafe, and will bear Barques of fifty 
 Tun, till you come to that place which is mark’d 
 with a Flower-de-luce in the Map, and where I put 
 up the Port that my Soldiers chriften’d la Hontaus Li¬ 
 mit. March 2. I arriv’d in the Miffi[ipi , which was 
 then much deeper and more rapid than before, by 
 reafon of the Rains and Land-floods. Tofavethe 
 Labour of Rowing, we then left our Boats to the 
 Current, and arriv'd on the ioth in the Ifland of 
 Rencontres , which took its Name from the Defeat 
 of 400 Iroquefe, accomplifh’d there by ;oo NadoutJJis. 
 The Story of the Encounter is briefly this: A Party 
 of 400 Irccjuefe having a mind to furpriie a certain 
 People in the Neighbourhood of th cOtentas (of whom 
 more anon ) march’d to the Country of the Illinefe , 
 where they built Canows, and were furnilh’d with 
 Provifions. After that they embark’d upon the Ri¬ 
 ver Mijfifipi, and were difcover’d by another little 
 Fleet that was failing down the other fide of the fame 
 River. The Iroyuefe crofs’d over immediately to that 
 Ifland, which is fince call’d Aux Rencontres. The 
 NaJousJfis , i. e. the ocher little Fleet, being fufpici- 
 ous of forne ill Defign, without knowing what Peo¬ 
 ple they were, ( for they had no kno wledge of the 
 
 IroijueJe 
 
to North America. * 129 
 
 Iroquefe but by Hear-fay; upon this fufpicion, I fay, 
 they tugg’d hard to come up with ’em. The two 
 Armies ported themfelves upon the point of the 
 Ifland, where the two Groffes are put down in the 
 Map; and as foon as the Nadnueffiis came in fight, the 
 Iroquefe cry’d out in the lllinefe Language, Who arc ye? 
 To which the Nadoueffis anfwer’d, Somebody:, And 
 putting the like Queftion to the Iroquefe , receiv d the 
 fame Anfwer. Then the Iroquefe put this Quertion 
 to ’em, Where are you a going; ? T. o hunt Beeves, reply d 
 the Nadoueffis. But fray, i ays the Nadoueffis, what’s 
 your hujinefs ? To hunt Men, reply’d the Iroquefe. Tts 
 well, fays the Nardoueffis, we are men, and [o you need, 
 go no farther . Upon this Challenge the two Parties 
 difembark’d, and the Leader of the Nadoueffis cut his 
 Canows to pieces; and after reprefenting to his War- 
 riours that they behov d either to Conquer or Uie, 
 march’d up to the Iroquefe ; who receiv d em at firlt 
 Onfet with a Cloud of Arrows: But the Nadoueffis 
 having flood their firft Difcharg?, which kill d em 
 eighty Men, fell in upon em with tnsir CluuS in 
 their hands, before the others could charge again; 
 and fo routed ’em entirely. 'This Engagement lafted 
 for two hours, and was fo hot, that two hundred 
 and fixty Iroquefe fell upon the fpot, and the reft were 
 all taken Prifoners. Some of the Iroquefe indeed at¬ 
 tempted to make their Efcape after the Action was 
 over ; but the victorious General fent ten or twelve 
 of his Men to purfue ’em in one of the Canows that 
 he had taken: and accordingly they were all over¬ 
 taken and drown’d. The Nadoueffis having obtain d 
 this Victory, cut off the Nofes and Ears of two ot 
 the clivereft Prifoners; and fupplying ’em with Fu- 
 fees, Powder, and Ball, gave ’em the liberty of re¬ 
 turning to their own Country, in order to give their 
 Country-men to underftand, that they ought not to 
 employ Women to hunt after Men any longer. 
 
 K The 
 
1 $ o Some New Voyages 
 
 The 12th we arriv’d at the Village of the 0 ttntaf 
 where we took in a plentiful Provifion of Turkey 
 Corn, of which thefe People have great (lore. They 
 inform’d us, that their River was pretty rapid and 
 took its Rife from the neighbouring Mountains;’ and 
 that the upper part of it was adorn’d with feveral Villa 
 ges inhabited by the People call’d Panin,aha, Paneaff, 
 and Panettmka. But confidering that I was ftraitned 
 tor time, and that I faw no probability of learning 
 what I wanted to know with reference to the Stant 
 ard ,, I took leave of ’em the next day, which was 
 the 13 th, and in four days time, by the help of the 
 Current and our Oars, made the River of the Miffomi, 
 This done, we run up againft the Stream of that Ri. 
 ver, which was at lead as rapid as the Miffifipi was at 
 that time; and arriv’d on the 18th at thefirft Village 
 of the MiJJouru, where I only dop’d to make the 
 1 eople fome Prefents that procur’d me a hundred 
 
 A ^ hich , that People are wonderfully 
 well dock d. After that, we row’d hard againft the 
 btream and landed next night near the fecond Vil- 
 lage. As foon as I arriv’d, I detach’d a Sergeant with 
 ten Soldiers to convoy the Outagaw « to the Village, 
 while the red of my Crew were buiied in fitting ud 
 ° ur Hurts and unloading our Canows. It happen'd 
 unluckily that neither the Soldiers nor the OuZam 
 couid make the Savages underdand ’em; and the 
 latter were juft ready to fall upon ’em, when an old 
 fellow cry d out, that the Strangers were not with¬ 
 out more company, for that he had difcover’d our 
 huts and Canows. Upon this, the Soldiers and the 
 re , tird ,n a § re at Condernation, and ad- 
 t0 . kee P 3 Guard all night. About 
 
 Z lZrt r m two Me » approach’d to 
 
 our little Camp, and call’d in Illinefe, that they wan¬ 
 ted an Interview; upon which the Outagamd being 
 extreamly well fansfied that there was feme body a- 
 mong ’em who cuuld underdand what thTy faid?re- 
 
 ply’d 
 
to North-America.. J 3 i 
 
 ply’d in lllinefe, that they fhould be very welcome as 
 (oon as the Sun appear’d in the Horizon. Neverthe- 
 lefs, the Outagamu refented the former Affront fo 
 much, that they importun’d me all night long to fee 
 fire to the Village, and put all the fcoundrel Inhabi¬ 
 tants to the Sword. I made anfwer to ’em, that 
 ’twas our bufinefs to be wifer than they, and to bend 
 our Thoughts, not upon a fruitlefs Revenge, but 
 upon the Difcovery that we were then in queft of. 
 At the break of Day the two Adventurers of the 
 Might came up to us, and after putting Interrogato¬ 
 ries to us for the fpace of two hours, invited us to 
 come up to their Village. The Outagamu reply’d, 
 that the Head or Governour of their Nation ought 
 to have faluted us fooner: and this oblig’d ’em to go 
 back to give him notice. After that we faw no bo¬ 
 dy for three hours: but at laft, when our Impatience 
 was juft beginning to boil, we perceiv’d the Gover¬ 
 nour, who accofted us in a trembling Pofture. He 
 was accompany’d with fome of his own Men, who 
 were loaded with broil’d or dry’d Meat, Sacks of Tur¬ 
 key or Indian Corn, dry’d Raifins, and fomefpeckled 
 or particolour’d Buck- skins. In confideration of this 
 Prefent, l made ’em another of lefs confequence. 
 Then I brought on a Conference between the Outa- 
 ^amts of my Company and the two Night Meffen- 
 gers, in order to make fome difcovery ot the Nature 
 of the Country; but they ftill ltop’d our Mouths 
 with this Anfwer, that they knew nothing of the 
 Matter, but that the other Nations that liv’d higher 
 up were able to inform us. Had I been of the fame 
 mind with the Outagamu, we had done noble Ex¬ 
 ploits in this Place: but I confider’d that ’twas my 
 bufinefs to purchafe the Knowledge of feveral things, 
 which I could not obtain by burning the Village. 
 To be ftiort,we re-embark’d that fame day,about two 
 a clock in the Afternoon, and row’d about four 
 Leagues up the River, where we made the River of 
 
 K 2 *0 
 
131 Some New Voyages 
 
 the Ofagej, and encamp’d by its Mouth. That Night 
 we had feveral falfe Alarms from the wild Beeves, up¬ 
 on which we made fufficient Reprifals afterwards • 
 for the next day we kill’d many of’em notwithftand’ 
 ing that it rain’d fo heavily that we could fcarce 
 ftir out of our Hutts. Towards the Evening, when 
 the Rain was over, and while we were tranfport- 
 ing two or three of thefe Beeves to our little 
 Camp, we fpy’d an Army of the Savages upon a full 
 March towards us. Upon that, my Men began to 
 intrench themfelves, and to unload their Pieces with 
 Worms, in order to charge ’em afreih; but one of 
 the Pieces happening to go off’ the whole Body of 
 the Enemy difappear’d, fome draggling one way, 
 and fome another : for thefe People were upon the 
 fame foot with the Nations that live upon the Long 
 River, forafmuch as neither of them had ever feen 
 or handled Fire-Arms. However, this Adventure 
 mov’d the Outagamu fo much, that to fatisfie them, 
 I was oblig’d to re-embark that very night, and re¬ 
 turn the fame way that I came. Towards Midnight 
 we came before a Village, and kept a profound Si¬ 
 lence till Day-bteak, at which time we row’d up to 
 their Fort; and upon cur entring there, and difchar- 
 ging our Pieces in the Air, the Women, Children, 
 and fuperannuated Men, were put into fuch a Con- 
 ffernation, that they run from place to place calling 
 out for Mercy. You mult know', all their Warriours 
 were abroad, and twas a Body of them that offer’d 
 to attack us the day before. The Outagamis percei¬ 
 ving the Conlfernation of the Women and Children, 
 call’d out, that they behov’d to depart the Village, 
 and that the Women fhould have time to take up 
 their Children. Upon that the whole Crew turn’d 
 out, and we fet fire to the Village on all fides. This 
 done, we purfu’d our Courfe down that rapid River, 
 and w ter ? r ^ e ^‘ ver Mijfijipi on the 2yth, early in 
 the Morning: the 26th, about three a clock in the 
 
 After- 
 
to North- America. 15; 
 
 Afternoon, we defcry’d three or four hundred Sava¬ 
 ges employ’d in the Hunting of Beeves, which fwar- 
 med in all the Meads to the Weftward. As foon as 
 the Hunters fpy’d us, they made a fign that we 
 fhould make towards ’em. Being ignorant who, or 
 how numerous they were, we made a halt at firft ; 
 but at laft we put in about a Musket-ihot above ’em, 
 calling out to ’em that they fhould not approach to 
 us in a Body. Upon that, four of their number 
 came up to us with a fmiling Countenance, and gave 
 us to know, in the llimfe Language, that they were 
 dkanfas. We could not but credit their Report, for 
 they had Knives and Sciffars hanging upon their 
 Necks, and little Axes about ’em, which the Ilinefe 
 prefent ’em with when they meet. In tine, being 
 affur d that they were of that Nation, which Mr de 
 la Salle and feveral other French-men were intimately 
 acquainted with, we landed at the fame place; and 
 they entertain’d us firft with Dancing and Singing, 
 and then with all forts of Meat, ihe next day they 
 Ihew’d us a Crocodile that they had knock d in the 
 head two days before, by a Stratagem that you 11 
 find defcrib’d in another place: After that they gave 
 us the diverfion of a Hunting Match ; for tis cuito- 
 mary with them, when they mean to divert them- 
 felves, to catch the Beeves by the different Methods 
 laid down in this Cut. I put fome Queftions to em 
 relating to the Spaniards , but they could not refolve 
 ’em. All that I learn’d from ’em was, that the MJ- 
 (ouris and the Ofages are numerous and milchievous 
 Nations, equally void both of Courage and Honefty ; 
 that their Countries were water’d with very great 
 Rivers ; and, in a word, were too good for them. 
 
 After we had fpent two days with them, we pur- 
 fued our Voyage to the River Ouabach, taking care 
 to watch the Crocodiles very narrowly, cl which 
 they had told us incredible Stories. 1 he next day 
 we enter’d the Mouth of that River, and founded it, 
 
 K 5 to 
 
124 Some’Hew Voyages 
 
 tfc try the truth of what the Savages reported of its 
 depth. In effedl, we found there three Fathom and 
 a half Water ; but the Savages of our Company al- 1 
 ledg’d, that ’twas more fwell’d than ufually. They 
 all agreed, that ’twas Navigable an hundred Leagues 
 up, and I wifh'd heartily, that my time had allow’d 
 me to run up to its Source; but that being unfeafo- 
 nable, I fail’d up againft the Stream, till we came 
 to the River of the Illintfe, which we made on the 
 9th of April with fome difficulty, for the Wind was 
 againft us the firft two days, and the Currents was 
 very rapid. 
 
 All I can fay of the River MiJJlfipi , now that I 
 am to take leave of it, is, that its narroweft part 
 is half a League over, and the ffialloweft is a Fa¬ 
 thom and a half deep; and that according to the 
 information of the Savages, its ftream is pretty gen¬ 
 tle for feven or eight Months of the year. As for 
 Shelves or Banks of Sand, I met with none in it. 
 I is full of I lies which look like Groves, byreafon 
 of the great plenty of Trees, and in the verdant 
 feafon of the year afford a very agreeable profped. 
 Its Banks are Woods, Meadows and Hills. 1 cannot 
 be politive, whether it winds much in other places; 
 but as far as I could fee, its courfe is very different 
 from that of our Rivers in France ; for I muff 
 tell you by the way, that all the Rivers of Arnica 
 run pretty ftraight. 
 
 Ihe River of the lllimfe is intitled to Riches, by 
 vertue of the benign Climate, and of the great qaan- 
 tities of Deer, Roe-Bucks, and Turkeys that teed 
 Upon its brinks: Not to mention feveral other Bealls 
 and Fowls, a defcription of which would require 
 an intire Volume. If you faw but my Journal, you 
 would be lick of the tedious particulars of our dai¬ 
 ly Adventures both in Hunting and Fifliing divers 
 Ipecks of Animals,and in Rencounters with the Sava¬ 
 ges, In ftiort, the l^ft thing I /haft mention of this 
 
 River, 
 
to 2Vorf/>America. 
 
 m 
 
 River, is, that the Banks are replemfh d with an 
 infinity of Fruit-Trees, which we faw in a dilmal 
 condition , as being ftrip’d of their verdure; and 
 that among thefe Fruit-Trees, there are many Vines, 
 which bear moft beautiful Clufters of very large 
 Grapes. 1 ate fome of thefe Grapes dry’d in the Sun, 
 which had a moft delicious Tafte. The Beavers are 
 as unfrequent in this, as in the long River, where 
 1 faw nothing but Otters, of which the People 
 
 make Furs for the Winter. 
 
 Ifetoutfrom the iSinefe River on the 10th of 
 April and by the help of a Weft South-Weft Wind, 
 arriv’d in fix days at the Fort of Crevecoeur where I 
 met with Mr. de Tonti, who receiv’d me with all ima¬ 
 ginable Civility, and is juftly refpeded and ho¬ 
 nour’d by the Iroquefe. I flay’d three days in this 
 Fort, where tfcere were thirty Counters de Rots that 
 traded with the Illineje. The 20 tb I arriv'd at the 
 Village of the Illinefe ; and to lelTen the diudgery ot 
 a great Land-carriage of twelve great Leagues, m- 
 gag’d four hundred Men to tranfport our Baggage, 
 which they did in the fpace of four days, being 
 incourag’d by a Bribe of a great Roll of Brafil To¬ 
 bacco, an hundred pound weight of Powder, two 
 hundred weight of Ball, and fome Arms, which I 
 gave to the moft confiderable Men of their number. 
 The 24 tb I arriv’d at Cbekakou, where my Outagamts 
 took leave of me in order to return to their own 
 Country, being very well fatisfied with> * ^ refc ~, l 
 made ’em of fome Fufees, and fome Piftols. The 
 2 <tb i reimbarqued, and by rowing hard in a Calm, 
 made the River of the Oumamis on the 28 tb 1 here 1 
 met four hundred Warriours, upon the very lame 
 place where Mr. de la Salle had formerly bui t a 
 Fort. Thefe Warriours were then imploy d in burn¬ 
 ing three Iroauefe, who, as they faid, deferv t ie 
 Punifkment: and invited us to lhare in the plealure 
 of the Show: for ths Savages take it very ill if one 
 
 K 4 refutes 
 
 
I 
 
 1 2 ^ Sow* N<?«? Voyages 
 
 r^fufes the diversion of fuch real Tragedies. The 
 tragical fpedacle made me fhrink, for the poor 
 wretches were put to inconceiveable Torture • and 
 
 p-d°inon a . r I r /? IV,d f “ 
 
 E°eat’(l^ S f”| f0r J an that ">y M« 
 
 t ad great /tore of Brandy with ’em. and would cer- 
 vSorv Uke thC T fd , Ve l dfUnk ^ in Tolemnifingtheir 
 
 difoS H 7 h,Cl u hCy . W0 S bs apc to commit 
 j. . ’ that I cou.d not poffibly prevent Ac¬ 
 cordingly I went immediately on board, and after 
 coaftmg abng the Lake, crofs’d tire B y APoS 
 and landed at MiQilimahnac the ziJ ’ 
 
 m whk ,n /° rft !3 b / the ^ ieur de S ' Pierre * 
 
 thn Mr T 'r\ d fr °m hither upon the Ice, 
 
 making P Dcko ™'\ has took up a refoludon of 
 to ’ cni i MCe j VV , uh theJ ^W«> m which he means 
 ics^nH m , the ° ther Nations that his Al- 
 e ’ that 1 u CW had given notice to h h Al- 
 acaua nrc hey r ft r u,d not 5nfeft the ^uefe. He 
 orde-s to ^ r tber> tbat ,M r< de Denon,v ilIe has fent 
 the Rat /‘ leG ®. ve f no “ r °* this place, toperfwade 
 to po \J C ; f r ; ie , Comm - 3n ders of the Hurom ) 
 hL 6 h d ^ nr ° th J eColony ’ with a defign, to have 
 t 2 e of n ?h d; /r d the Savage Genial being a- 
 tha he w S made 3 publkk declaration, 
 
 cordinpk/ g V? ither ? R P ur pole to defie him. Ac- 
 bodv of r , ; def?gnSt ,° £ ctow toMorrow with a great 
 tl2II? T a l\ f d fome Coureurs Je Bois > under 
 rnv Dehr'" C H r ‘.As for the Soldiers of 
 
 CanmJ ,p t 1 haVC dif P ers ’ d ’ em in Several 
 
 and the Coureurs de Bed j 
 am oh - g a f ° me buf!nefs to ad i uft iR this place, I 
 longer ‘ 6 C ° tar ' y my ^ even or eight days 
 
 ase^l’h is tlie true account of my little Voy- 
 cumftarceY- /h 3t ^ d n0th,ng but the Eflential Cir- 
 
 are fo trifling P i C ° ovcrlook the rdf, which 
 ‘ hn tx as to be unworthyof your Curiofi- 
 
 ry. 
 
to North America. i;7 
 
 ty. As for the Illinefe Lake, ’tis three hundred Leagues 
 in* Circumference, as you may fee by the Scale of 
 Leagues upon the Map. ’Tis feated in an admira¬ 
 ble Climate ; its Banksare cloath’d with fine and tall 
 Trees, and have but few Meads. The River of 
 the Oumamh is not worth your regard. The Bay 
 de I'Ours <jui dart, is of an indifferent large extent, 
 and receives the River upon which the Outaouas are 
 wont to hunt Beavers every third year. In ihort, 
 it has neither Shelves, Rocks, nor Banks of Sand. 
 The Land which bounds it on the South fide, is re- 
 plenilh’d with Roe-bucks, Deer, and Turkeys. Fare- 
 wel, Good Sir: And affure your felf, that ’twill al¬ 
 ways be a fenfible pleafure to me, to amufe you 
 with an account of the greateft Curiofities I meet 
 
 with. , 
 
 But now, Sir, I hope you will not take it ill, that 
 
 the Relation I here give you, is only an Abridg¬ 
 ment of my Voyage: For, in earneft, to be mi¬ 
 nute upon every particular Curiofity, would require 
 more time and leifure than 1 can fpare. I have 
 here fent you a view of the fubftantial part; and 
 fhall afterwards hope for an opportunity of recount¬ 
 ing to you by word of Mouth, an infinity cf Ad¬ 
 ventures, Rencounters, and Obfervatiops, which 
 may call up the reflecting faculty of thinking Men. 
 My own Thought is too Superficial to philofophile 
 upon the Origin, the Belief, the Manners and Cu- 
 ltoms of fo many Savages; or to make any advan¬ 
 ces with reference to the extent of this Continent 
 to the Weftward. I have contented my felf with 
 offering fome thoughts upon the caufes of the bad 
 fuccefs of the Difcoveries, that feveral expenenc d 
 Men have attempted in Jmerica, both by Sea and 
 Land: And I flatter my felf, that my thoughts up¬ 
 on that head are juft. The frelh Inftances of Mr. 
 de la Salle, and feveral other unlucky Difcoverers, 
 may afford a fufficient and feafonable caution tc 
 
 thofe. 
 
 
13 8 Some New Voyages 
 
 thofe, who for the Future /hall undertake to difcover 
 all the unknown Countries of this New World. 
 ’Tis not every one that’s qualify’d for fuch an En- 
 terprife, non licet omnibus adire Corintbum. ’Twerean 
 eafie matter to trace the utmoft limits of the Coun. 
 try that lies to the Weft of Canada, provided it be 
 gone about in a proper Method. In the firft place, 
 inftead of Canows, I would have fuch Adventurers 
 to make ufe of certain Sloops of a peculiar Stru- 
 tfture, which might draw but little Water, and be 
 portable, as being made of light Wood; and with- 
 all carry thirteen Men, with 3 j or 40 hundred weight 
 of Stowage, and be able to bear the /hock of the 
 Waves in the great Lakes. Courage, Health, and 
 Vigilance, are not fufficient of themfelves to quali- 
 fie a Man for fuch Adventures; he ought to be 
 poffe/s’d of other Talents, which are rarely met 
 with in one and the fame Perfon. The Conduit 
 of the three hundred Men that accompany’d me 
 upon this Difcovery, gave me a great deal of trou¬ 
 ble. It requires a large ftock of Induftry and Pati¬ 
 ence, to keep fuch a Company up to their Duty. 
 Sedition, Mutinies, Quarrels, and an infinity of dif- 
 orders frequently take place among thofe, who be¬ 
 ing in remote and folitary Places, think they have 
 a right of ufing force againft their Superiours. One 
 muft diflfemble, and even /hut his Eyes upon occa- 
 fion, leaft the growing Evil /hould be inflam’d: 
 The gentleft Methods are the fureft, for him that 
 commands in Chief,* and if any Mutiny or Sediti¬ 
 ous Plot is in view, ’tis the bulinefs of the inferior 
 Officers to ftifle it, by perfwading the Mutineers, 
 that the difcovery of fuch things to the Command¬ 
 ing Officer, would create a great deal of uneafineft 
 So, the chief Officer muft /till make as if he were 
 ignorant of what pa/Tes, unlefs it be, that the flame 
 breaks out in his Prefence ; then indeed he lies un¬ 
 der an indifpenfible Obligation, of inflicting ipeedy 
 
 and 
 
to North America. i ] 9 
 
 and private punifhment, without his prudence di¬ 
 re^ him to put off the Execution, upon an appre- 
 henlion of fome pernicious confequences that may 
 infue thereupon. In fuch Voyages he muft over¬ 
 look a thoufand things, which upon other occafi- 
 ons he has all reafon to punilh. He muft counter¬ 
 feit a downright ignorance of their Intrigues with the 
 She-Savages, of their Quarrels among themfelves, of 
 their negligence in not mounting the Guard, and 
 not obferving the other points of Duty ; in a word, 
 he muft pretend to know nothing of an Infinity 
 of fuch Diforders, as have no direct tendency to a 
 Revolt. He ought to ufe the precaution offing- 
 ling out a Spy in his little Army, and reward him 
 handfomly for a dexterous Intelligence as to all that 
 happens; to the end that he may remedy the grow¬ 
 ing diforders either dire<ftly or indirectly. This 
 Spie may by good management, and due fecre- 
 cy find out the Ringleader of a Club or Cabal; 
 and when the Commanding Officer has receiv’d fuch 
 fatisfa&ion upon the matter, that there’s no room 
 left to doubt of the Criminal’s Demerit; ’twill then 
 be very convenient to make away with him, and 
 that with fuch management, that no body fhould 
 know what became of him. 
 
 Farther : He ought to give ’em Tobacco and 
 Brandy now and then, to ask their advice upon fome 
 occafions, to fatigue ’em as little as poffible, to call 
 ’em up to dance and make merry, and at the fame 
 time to exhort ’em to live iri a good underftanding 
 with one another. The beft Topick he can make 
 ufe of for inforcing their Duty, is Religion, and 
 the Honour of their Country, and this he ought to 
 defcant upon himfelf: For though I have a great 
 deal of Faith in the power of the Clergy ; yet I 
 know that fort of Men do’s more harm than good, 
 in Voyages of this nature; and for that reafon I’d 
 choofe to be without their Company. The Pei fon 
 
140 Some New Voyages 
 
 who undertakes to go upon a Difcovery, ought to 
 be very nice and cautious in the choice of his Men; 
 for every one is not fit for his bufinefs. His Men 
 ought to be between 30 and 40 years of Age, of a 
 dry Conftitution, of a peaceable Temper, of an 
 adtive and bold Spirit, and inur’d to the fatigues of 
 Voyages. The whole Retinue muft confift of three 
 hundred Men; and of that number there muft be 
 fome Ship-Carpenters,Gun-fmiths, and Sawyers with 
 all their Tools; befides Huntfmen, and Fifhermen 
 with their Tackling. You muft likewife have Sur¬ 
 geons among ’em, but their Cheft ought to contain 
 nothing but Razours, Lancets, External Medicines 
 for Wounds, Orvietan and Senna. All the Men 
 of the Detachment, ought to be provided with Buff- 
 Coats and Boots to turn the Arrows; for, as I inti¬ 
 mated above, the Savages of the unknown Coun¬ 
 tries are ftrangers to Fire-Arms. They muft be 
 arm’d with a double barrel’d Gun, a double barrel’d 
 Piftol, and a good long Sword. The Commanding 
 Officer muft take care to provide a fufficiant quan¬ 
 tity of the Skins of Deer, Elks, and Beeves, in order 
 to be few’d together, and hung round his Camps 
 upon certain Stakes fix’d at convenient diftances 
 from one another. 1 had as many as would go 
 round a fquare of thirty Foot every way; for each 
 Skin being five Foot deep, and almoft four Foot 
 broad, I made two pieces of eight Skins a piece, 
 which were rais’d and extended^in a Minute. Be¬ 
 fides thefe, he ought to carry with him feme Pot- 
 Guns of eight Foot in length, and fix in breadth; 
 with two Hand-Mills for grinding the Indian Corn, 
 Naiisof all fizes, Pickaxes, Spades, Hatchets, Hooks, 
 Soap, and Cotton to make Candles of. Above ail, 
 he muft not forget to take in good (tore of Powder, 
 Brandy, Rrafii Tobacco, and fuch things as he muft 
 prefent to the Stages whofe Country he difeovers. 
 Add to this Cargo, an Aftrolabe, a Semicircle, fe- 
 
 
to Norf/?-America. H* 
 
 veral Sea-Compaffes, fome Simple, and fome of Va¬ 
 riation, a Load-ftone, two large Watches of three 
 Inches Diameter; Pencils, Colours, and Paper, for 
 making Journals and Maps, for the defigning of 
 Land-Creatures, Fowl, Fifh, Trees, Plants, Grain, 
 and in a word, whatever fesms worthy of his Cu- 
 riofity. I would likewife advife him to carry with 
 him fome Trumpeters and Fidlers, both for anima¬ 
 ting his Retinue, and raifing the admiration of the 
 Savages. With this Equipage, Sir, a Man of Senfe, 
 Conduct, and Aftion, I mean, a Man that’s .Vi¬ 
 gilant, Prudent, Cautious, and above all. Patient 
 and Moderate, and qualify’d for contriving Expe¬ 
 dients upon all occafions; a Man, I fay, thus qua¬ 
 lify’d, and thus fitted out, may boldly go to all the 
 Countries that lye to the Weft of Canada, without 
 any apprehenfion of danger. As for my own part, 
 I ferioufly declare, that if I were poffefs’d of all 
 thefe qualities, I fliould efteem it my happinefs to 
 be imploy’d upon fuch an Enterprife, both for the 
 Glory of his Majefty, and my own Satisfa&ion: For 
 the continu’d diverfityof Objects, did fo charm me 
 in my Voyages, that I had fcarce time to refleft 
 upon the fatigue and trouble that I underwent, I am, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours , 8cc. 
 
 letter 
 

 The Author fets out from Miflllimakinac to the 
 Colony, and defcribes the Country, Rivers, and 
 Paffes that he [aw by the way. The Iroquefe 
 make a fatal incur [ion into the Ifland of Mon- 
 real : Fort Frontenac is abandond. Count 
 Frontenac is fent to Canada, and the Marais 
 of Denonville is recall’d. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I Writ to you from Mijfdimakinac on the 28th of 
 May. I left that place June the 8th, and fet out 
 lor Momreal, accompany’d with twelve Outaouai, 
 wi,o ^were divided into two Canows, and row’d 
 very hard. The i%d, I overtook the Coureurs tie Bois 
 »n the River Creufe, who had got the ftart of me 
 for lome days. Mr. Dulhut us’d his utmoft efforts 
 to diilwade me from going further with (o weak a 
 Retinue. He would have had me to go down along 
 with him ; and remonftrated to me, that if my 
 twelve ConduClers perceiv’d either in the Land- 
 carriage or upon the Rivers, any thing that might 
 call up an apprehenfion of falling into the hands of 
 the Iroquefe, they would defert me and the Canows, 
 and fly to the Woods to avoid the Enemy. I re¬ 
 jected his Advice, though I had like to have repent¬ 
 ed of my refolution not long after; for according 
 to his Prediction, my Canow-Men threatn’d to run 
 a way to the Forrefts, at the Fall call’d LomSaut ; 
 And indeed if they had done it, I had follow’d ’em, 
 upon the reflexion, that of two Evils a Man ought 
 
 to 
 
to North America. 
 
 *4? 
 
 to choofe the leaf!; but this Storm blew over. In 
 the great River of the Outaouas , not far from the 
 River of Lievre , I met Mr. de St. Helene at the Head 
 of a Party of the Coureurs de Bolt, who was bound 
 for Hudforis Bay, in order to retake fome Forts that 
 the Englijh had feiz’d upon. He acquainted me with 
 the Prince of Orange's Expedition for England ; and 
 gave me to underhand, that upon his arrival King 
 James retir’d to France , and that the Piince was pro¬ 
 claim’d King, which feem’d to prefage a bloody 
 and fliarp War in Europe. I affure you. Sir, this 
 piece of News furpriz’d me extreamly ; and not¬ 
 withstanding that 1 had it from the Mouth of a Man, 
 whofe word I rely very much upon, yet I had all 
 the difficulty in the World to make my felf believe, 
 that a Revolution of fuch Importance could be ac- 
 complifh’d in fo ffiort a time, without the effufion 
 of Blood; efpecially confidering what a ftrid Alli¬ 
 ance there was between our Court, and the Court 
 of England, and how much ’twas the intereft of 
 both thefe Monarchs to give mutual afliftance to one 
 another. July the 9 th I arriv’d at Monreal . after ven¬ 
 turing down feveral fearful Catarads in the River 
 of the Outaouas, and induring the hardfhips of fifteen 
 or twenty Land-carriages, fome of which are above 
 a League in length. 
 
 The Navigation is prety fure from Mijfilimakinac 
 to the River des Francois y for in coafting along the 
 Lake of Hurons , we meet with an infinity of Ifiands, 
 which ferve fora flielter. Butin going up that Ri¬ 
 ver, there’s fome difficulty, for it has five Catarads 
 which oblige us to turn out and carry all over-land 
 for thirty, fifty, and a hundred Paces. Having 
 pafs’d that River, we enter’d the Lake of the Ne- 
 picerinis , from whence we are forc’d to tranfport our 
 Canows and Baggage two Leagues over-land, to a- 
 nother River which has fix or feven Water-falls that 
 we commonly (hoot. From that River we have a- 
 
 nother 
 
 r\» 
 
144 S° me ^ ew ftytgp 
 
 nother l and-carriage to the River Creufe, which 
 falls with rapid Currents into the great River of the 
 Outacuas, near a place call’d Mataouan. We conti¬ 
 nue our courfe upon this great River, till we come 
 to the point of the lfland of Monreal, where’tis loft 
 in the great River of St. Laurence. Thefe two Ri¬ 
 vers joyn one another with very gentle Streams, 
 and quitting their fearful Channels form the little 
 Lake of St. Louis. I thought to have loft my Life 
 at the fall, call’d the fall of St. Louis , about three 
 Leagues from Monreal , for our Canow having over- 
 fet in the Eddy, I was carry’d by the Current to 
 the foot of that Cataraft, from whence the Cheva¬ 
 lier de Vaudreuil drag’d me out by a great chance. 
 The Canovcs and the Skins belonging to the fix 
 Savages were loft ; and one of the Savages was 
 drown’d. This is the only time I was in danger, 
 through the whole courfe of my Voyages. Asfoon 
 as I landed here, I repair’d with diligence to a Ta¬ 
 vern to refrefti my felf, and to make up the Ioffes I 
 had fuftain'd byaneceffary Abftinence. The next 
 day I waited upon Mr. de Dcnonville , and Mr. Je 
 Cbamfigni , to whom I gave an account of my Voy¬ 
 ages, and withal, gave in the News that a great 
 company of the Coureurs de Boh and Savages 
 would arrive very fpeedily j which they did accor¬ 
 dingly after fifteen days. The Rat I mention’d a- 
 bove came down hither, and return’d home not- 
 withftanding the threats that were levell’d again!! 
 him. By this Adventure, he {hew’d that he laugh’d 
 at their Intrigues. But now that I have mention’d 
 his name, I cannot forbear mentioning a malicious 
 Stratagem that this cunning Savage made ufe of 
 laft year, to prevent the conclufion of a Peace be¬ 
 tween Mr. de Denonville and the Iroejuefe. 
 
 This Savage is the general and chief Counfellour 
 of the Hurotis'] he is a Man of forty years of Age, 
 and brave in his way. When be found himfelf 
 
to North- America, 
 
 j 
 
 '45 
 
 prefs’d and importun’d by Mr. de Denonville, to en¬ 
 ter into tbe Alliance concluded in the year 1687, 
 that I took notice of before; he at lafi comply’d 
 with his defire, with thisreferve, that theWarlhould 
 not be put to an end till the Ircqueje were totally 
 routed. This claufe the Governour promis’d to 
 make good, and gave him aflurances to that pur- 
 pofe on the 5 d of September, in the fame year, which 
 happen’d about two days before 1 fetout from N/« 
 agara, upon my Voyage to the great Lakes. This 
 Savage-General relying upon Mr. tie Denonvillc’s pro- 
 mife, march’d from Miffilimakmac at the Head of an 
 hundred Warriours, as I infinuated in my 14^ Let¬ 
 ter, in order to invade the Iroquefe Country, and 
 atchieve fome glorious feats among ’em. In the 
 mean time, to carry on his defign the more cauti- 
 oufly, he thought it proper to pafs by the way of 
 Fort Frontenac , where he might receive fome intel¬ 
 ligence. Upon his arrival at this Fort, the Gover¬ 
 nour told him that Mr. de Denonville was negotiating 
 a Peace with the five Ircquefe Nations, whofe Em- 
 balfadors and Hoflages he expeded in a fhorttime, 
 in order to conclude and ratifie the Peace, he having 
 orders to conduct ’em to Monreal : And that upon 
 that Confideration, ’twas moft proper for him and 
 his Warriours to return home, and to pafs no fur¬ 
 ther. The Savage General was mightily furpris’d 
 with this unexpeded piece of News; efpecially con- 
 fidering that by the means of that Peace, he and 
 his Nation would be given up as a Sacrifice for the! 
 Wellfare of the French. When the Governor had 
 made an end of his Remonltrance, the Rat ac¬ 
 knowledg’d, that what he offer’d was very reafona- 
 ble, but withal, that inftead of following his Ad* 
 vice, he would go and tarry for the Iroejuefe Em- 
 balfadours and Hoflages at the Catarads, by which 
 they were oblig’d to pafs. He had not tarry’d thef@ 
 above five or fix days, before the unhappy Depu- 
 
 L 
 
 tie* 
 
146 Some New Voyages 
 
 ties arriv’d with a Train of forty young Men, who 
 were all either kill’d or taken as they difembarqued. 
 The Prifoners were no fooner fetter’d, than this 
 crafty General of the Hurons reprefented to ’em, 
 that the French Governour had fent him notice to 
 take up that Poll, in order to lie in wait fora Par- 
 ty of fifty Warriours, that were to pafs that way 
 at a certain fet time. The Iro<yuefie being much fur- 
 pris’d with the apprehenfion of the perfidioufnefs 
 that he charg’d upon Mr. de Denonville , acquainted 
 the Rat with the defign upon which they came. Up¬ 
 on that the Rat counterfeited a fort of Rage and 
 Fury; and to play his Cards the better, flew out 
 in invediives againft Mr. de Denonville, declaring, 
 that fome time or other he would be reveng’d upon 
 that Governour, for making him the Inftrumenc of 
 the moft barbarous Treachery that ever was afted. 
 Then he fix’d his Eyes upon all the Prifoners, a- 
 mong whom was the chief Embaffadour call’d 
 Tbeganejorens , and fpoke to this purpofe; Go my Bre¬ 
 thren, though I am at IVar with you, yet I releafe you, 
 and allow you to go home. ’Tis the Governour of the 
 French that put me upon this black Attion, which I [ball 
 never be able to digeft, unlejs your five Nations revenge 
 themjelves, and make their juft Reprifals. This was 
 fufficient to convince the Iroquefe of the fincprity of 
 his words j and they allur'd him upon the fpot, that 
 if he had a mind to make a feparare Peace, the five 
 Nations would agree to it: However, the Rat ha¬ 
 ving lofl one Man in this Adventure, kept an Iro- 
 queje Slave to fupply the place of the Man he had 
 loft: And after furnilhing the Prifoners with Guns, 
 Powder, and Ball, in order to their return home¬ 
 ward, march’d to Mijfilimakinac, where he prefent- 
 ed the French Governour with the Slave that he 
 brought off The poor wretch was no fooner de¬ 
 liver’d, than he was condemn’d to be Ihot 5 for at 
 chat time the French Garrilon did not know that 
 
 Mr. 
 
to North-America.. 14? 
 
 Mr. ie Denonville defign’d to clap up a Peace with 
 the Irocjuefe. The condemn’d Prifoner gave an ac¬ 
 count of his Adventure, and that of the Ambafla- 
 dours ; but the French thought that the fear of Death 
 made the fellow talk idcly, and were confirm’d in 
 that thought, by hearing the Rat and his Men lay 
 that he was Light-headed : Infomuch, that the poor 
 Fellow was put to death, notwithftanding all the 
 reafons he could offer. The fame day that he was 
 fhot, the Rat call’d an old Iroquefe Slave that had 
 ferv’d him a long while, and told him he had re- 
 folv’d to allow him the ’liberty of returning to his 
 own Country, and fpending the reft of his days 
 among his Friends and Country-men. At the fame 
 time he gave him to know, that fince he had been an 
 Eye-witnefs of the barbarous ufage that his Country¬ 
 men had met with from the French , notwithftand¬ 
 ing what he offer’d in his own defence, it behov a 
 him to acquaint his Countrymen with the black- 
 nefs of that Adion. The manumitted Slave obey d 
 his orders fo punctually, that foon after the Iroqueje 
 made an Jncurfion, at a time when the Governour 
 did not dream of any fuch thing, for he had us d 
 the Precaution of giving the Irocjuefe to underftano, 
 that he difallow’d of the Rat's Treachery ; mio- 
 much, that he had a mind to have him hang d; and 
 upon this profped, expeded hourly ten or twelve 
 Deputies to conclude the Peace he fo much deur a. ^ 
 In effed the Deputies did come, but neither their 
 Number nor their Defign was fuitable to what the 
 Governour had promifed to himfelf. Twelve> nim- 
 dred Warriours landed at theLands-end of the liland 
 of Monreal , and burnt and fack’d all the Plantations 
 in that Quarter: They maffacred Men, Women, 
 and Children; and Madam it DenonviLe, who was 
 then at Monreal with her Husband, did not think 
 her felf fafe in that place, A general Confternation 
 was fpread all about j for the Barbarians were not a- 
 
.48 Some New Voyages 
 
 bove three Leagues from Monreal. They burnt ail 
 the adjacent Settlements, and block’d up two Forts. 
 Mr. de Denonville fent out a Detachment of a hundred 
 Soldiers and fifty Savages to oppofe ’em, being un¬ 
 willing to fpare a greater number out of the City: 
 but all the Men of the Detachment were either taken 
 or cut in pieces, excepting twelve Savages, one Sol¬ 
 dier, and Mr. de Longueil who commanded the Party, 
 and was carried off by the twelve Savages after his 
 Thigh was broke : The other Officers, namely, the 
 Sieursdela Raberre,Denis,la Plante,And Villedene,were all 
 taken Prifoners. In a word, the Barbarians laid al- 
 moft the whole Ifland wafte, and loft only three 
 Men, who having drank to excefs of the Wine they 
 found in the Plantations, were decoy’d into a Fort 
 by a Canadefc Cow-keeper, that had been their Slave 
 for fome Years. As foon as the three unfortunate 
 Iroyuefe arriv’d in the Fort, they were thrown into a 
 Cellar to deep themfelves fober; and, queftionlefs, 
 as foon as they wak’d they repented of their excel- 
 five drinking. When they wak’d, they fell imme¬ 
 diately a finging; and when the Garrifon offer’d to 
 fetter ’em, and carry ’em to Monreal , they flew to 
 fome Clubs that lay in the Cellar, and made fuch a 
 vigorous and brave defence, that the Garrifon was 
 forc’d to Ihoot ’em upon the fpot. The Cow-keeper 
 being brought before Mr. de Denonville, he told him, 
 That the Breach made by the Rat’s Contrivance was 
 irreparable; that the five Irojuefe Nations refented 
 that Adventure with fo much warmth, that’twas im- 
 pollrbie to difpofe ’em to a Peace in a iliort time 5 
 that they were fo far from being angry with that Hu¬ 
 ron for what he did, that they were willing to enter 
 into a Treaty with him, owning that he and his 
 Party had done nothing but what became a braveMan 
 and a good Ally. Doubclefs this fatal Incurfion was a 
 great Surprifil to Mr. de Denonville, and afforded him 
 a copious Field for Reflexion. Twas already im- 
 
 poffible 
 
to North America. 149 
 
 poffible to continue the Poffeffion of Fort Front mac, 
 where they began to want Provifions, and which 
 could not be relieved without expofing a great many 
 Klen to the danger of the PafTes or Cataraas, which 
 I have mention'd fo often. There was a downright 
 neceffity of calling out the Garrifon, and blowing 
 up the Fort; but the difficulty lay in finding a Man 
 to carry Orders for that effect to the Governour, for 
 no body durft undertake it, till the Sieur Veter 
 d’Arpentigni offer’d to go all alone through the Fo- 
 refts; and accordingly he went, and did his Buhnels 
 fuccefsfully. The Orders were extream welcome to 
 Mr. de Valrenes, the Governour of the Fort for the 
 time; who, upon the receiving of’em, run a Mine 
 under the four Baflions, which, with the Powder 
 he put in, was reckon’d fufficient to blow it up. 
 This done, he embark’d, and came down the River 
 through the Cataraas to Monreal, where he found 
 Mr. de Dencmville, and accompany’d him hither. 
 That Officer did not only abdicate the Fort of Fron- 
 tenacjbat fet fire to three great Barques that they usd 
 to ply with upon the Lake, both to awe the Iroqueje 
 in time of War, and to convey Commodities to era 
 in time of Peace. Mr. de Dcnonville afted a prudent 
 part in relinquilhing both this Fort and that or Nia¬ 
 gara ; for, in earnelt, thefe two Potts are indefen- 
 fible, by reafon of the inacceffible Catarads, upon 
 which an Ambufcado of ten Iroquefe may repulle a 
 thoufand Frenchman by the throwing of Stones. But 
 after all I mutt own, that the Welfare and 1 referva- 
 tion of our Colonies had an abfolute dependant* 
 upon thefe two Forts, which feem’d to infure the ut¬ 
 ter Deftruftion of the Iro^ueje; for they could not 
 ttir out of their Villages to Hunt, or to Fifh, with¬ 
 out running the rifque of having their Throats cut 
 by the Savages in Alliance with us, who being then 
 allur’d of a fate Retreat, would have made continual 
 Jmeurfions into the Country of thofe Barbartd ^ 
 
 L 3 
 
150 Some New Voyages 
 
 And by this means the Iroquefe being unprovided with 
 Beaver-skins to be given in exchange for Guns, Pow¬ 
 der, Ball, and Nets, would be ftarv’d to death, or 
 at lead be oblig’d to depart their Country. 
 
 In the end of September Mr- de Bonaventurc, Cap¬ 
 tain and Owner of a Merchant Ship, arriv’d in this 
 Port, and brought the News of Mr. de Frontenac’s 
 Reindallment in the place of Governour-General 
 of Canada, and of the Re-calling of Mr. de Denon- 
 vide, whom the Duke de Beauvilliers has recommen¬ 
 ded to the King, for the place of Sub-Governourto 
 the Princes his Grandfons. Some People are unealie 
 at the re calling of this Governour; and ’tis faid, 
 that the Reverend Fathers the Jefuits, fall under the 
 number of the Malecontents: For if we may credit 
 the reports of the Country, they contributed in a 
 great meafure, to the re calling of Mr. de Frontenu 
 feven or eight years agoe, by ading in concert with 
 the Intendant of Cbefneau, and the fupreme Coun¬ 
 cil, and drawing up Accufations againft him which 
 had the defired effed ; though now the King fliews 
 that he is undeceiv’d, by reindating that Gentleman 
 once more in this Government. In the mean time 
 the Statefmen of the Country that are moft guilty, 
 know not how to drefs this kettle of Filh; for they 
 make no quedion but the New Governour will re¬ 
 tain a jud refentmentof what’s pad. ButtheGen- 
 tlemen. Merchants, and other Inhabitants, are ma¬ 
 king preparations for Iblemnifing his Arrival, which 
 they exped with as much impatience, as the Jews 
 do the MeJJtas . The very Savages that live in the 
 skirts of the Colony, fhew an uncommon Joy up¬ 
 on the hopes of his return : And indeed, we need 
 not think it drange, for that Governour drew Edeem 
 and Veneration, not only from the French, but from 
 all the Nations of this vad Continent, who look’d 
 upon him as their Guardian Angel. Mr. de Denon- 
 ville begins to pack up his Baggage, and that in ef- 
 
to North-America. 
 
 
 fed, is all I can fay cf him. ’Tis none of my bu- 
 finefs to meddle with an infinity of Affairs, that re¬ 
 late to the Gentleman’s private Intereft. As to the 
 queftion, whether he has manag’d well or ill, du- 
 ring the courfe of his Government, or whether he 
 was lov’d or hated, I know nothing of the matter. 
 I am at a lofs to know whether he kept a good or 
 a forry Table, for indeed I was never at it. Adieu. 
 
 I make account to fet out for Rocbel, when the 
 Veffel that brings our new Governour, returns for 
 France. I am. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Yours, &c. 
 
 letter xviii. 
 
 Dated at Quebec Novewber if. 1689. 
 
 Giving an Account of Mr . de Frontenac s Arri 
 val, his Reception, his Voyage to Monreal, 
 and the repairing of Fort frontenac. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 H E Intelligence you give me of the adjudging 
 of the Lands of Labontan , would have drove 
 
 defpair; if you had not affur’d me at the 
 
 me to 
 
 fame time, that I might recover it after a Century 
 of years, (if I had the misfortune to live fo long ) 
 upon the condition of reimburfing to the Poiiel- 
 four, the Sum that he pay'd for it, and of proving 
 that I was actually in the Kings Service in the re¬ 
 mote parts of the World, when that Eftate was 
 fold. To fpeak to the purpofe, Mr. de Frontenac has 
 
 counter- 
 
5 5 2 Some TSLew Voyages 
 
 countermanded the leave I had to go for France 
 and has offer’d me a free accefs to his Pocket and his 
 Table. All the Arguments I offer’d, have no In' 
 fluence upon him, and fo I am bound to obey. 
 
 This new Governour arriv’d at Quebec the l 'abof 
 October. He came on ftoar at eijht a Clock at 
 Night, and was receiv’d by the Supreme Council 
 and all the Inhabitants in Arms, with Flambeau’! 
 both in the City, and upon the Harbour, with a 
 triple Lifcharge of the great and fmall Guns, and 
 Illuminations in all the Windows of the City. That 
 fame Night he was complimented by all the Com. 
 panics of the Town, and above all, by the Jefuits 
 who upon that occafion made a very pathetick Speech! 
 
 C ^i lieart * 1a< ^ * e ^ s hand in it, than the 
 Mouth The next day he was vifited by all the La¬ 
 dies, whofe inward joy appear’d in their Counte¬ 
 nances, as much as in their Words. Several Per- 
 ions made Fire-works, while the Governour and his 
 5 f“" ue in the great Church. Thefe 
 
 iolemn Denitrations of Joy, increas’d from day 
 
 j iC n RS ^ Gover nour fet out for Monml: 
 and the Condudof the People upon this Head, af’ 
 forded fignal proofs cf the fatisfadion they had in 
 ^7? of their refting afTur’d, that his wife 
 Condud, and noble Spirit, would preferve the Re- 
 pole and Tranquility that he always kept up, du- 
 
 'Tn vT, ^.Government. All the World 
 3dor d him and ftyl’d him Redemftcr Pam* ■ t0 which 
 Title he had a juO claim, for all the Inhabitants of 
 thefe Colonies agree, that when he came fi.lt to 
 Canada, he found .11 things in Confufion and Di- 
 . Ac rhat »me tae Iroqueje had burnt all the 
 Planta.ions, andcur the Throats of fome thoufands 
 pt th .e French ; the Farmer was knock’d on the Head 
 £ > F:e,d J th * Traveller was murder'd ‘upon the 
 
 merce^All th® ^ er f ant ri:in ’ d for want of Com- 
 meice, AH ch v Planters were pinch’d with Famine, 
 
to North America. 15 j 
 
 the War render’d the Country detolate; and in a 
 word, New-Fr<7»ce had infallibly perilh’d, if this 
 Governour had not made that Peace with the Bar¬ 
 barians, that I fpoke of in my fifth Letter. The 
 bringing of that Peace to bear,was an aftion of great¬ 
 er Importance, than you can well imagine; for thefe 
 Barbarians grounded all their Wars upon a perfonal 
 Enmity, whereas the European Ruptures depend more 
 1 upon lnterell than upon pure Revenge. 
 
 Mr. de St. Valiers the Bifhop of Quebec , arriv’d 
 likewife on the 1 $tb at the fame Port. He had 
 imbarqu’d in the preceding Spring, on board of 
 a Bark that he had hir’d to tranfport him to Acadia, 
 
 P to Newfound-land, and to the other Countries of his 
 i: Diocefs. Mr. de Frontenac our Governour, fet out 
 for Monreal in a Canow, four or five days after his 
 Arrival; and I had the honour to accompany him. 
 All Indeavours were us’d to diffwade him from un- 
 ; i dertaking that Voyage, when the feafon was fo 
 
 • cold, and fo far advanc’d : For, as 1 inform’d you 
 : before, the Ice is thicker and ftronger here in Oftob. 
 
 than ’tis at Paris in January ; which, is very flrange. 
 
 * Notwithstanding all the Remonftrances drawn from 
 s the Hardlhips and Inconveniences of the Voyage, 
 
 he flighted the Fatigues of the Water, and threw him- 
 k fell into a Canow in the fixty eighth year of his 
 his Age. Nay, he took the abdication of Fort Fron¬ 
 tenac fo much to Heart, that he had gone ftraight 
 thither, if the Nobility, the Priefts, and the fnha- 
 s bitants of Monreal, had not intreated him with joynt 
 e» Supplications, not to expofe his Perfon to the dan- 
 i ger of the Falls and Catarads that lie in that Paf- 
 k fage. In the mean time fome Gentlemen of Cana- 
 i da, follow’d by a hundred Coureurs de Bois , under 
 If the command of Mr. Mantet , ventur’d upon the 
 Voyage, with intent to learn the State of the Fort, 
 j* 1 acquainted you in my laft Letter, that Mr. de Val- 
 ; rtm had blown up the Walls of the Fort, when 
 3 he 
 
i j4 Some New Voyages 
 
 he made his Retreat; but by good luck, the da¬ 
 mage was not fo great as ’twas took to be; for the 
 Party commanded by Mr. Mantet, have already 
 rear’d up the ruinous Wall to the height of fome 
 Fathoms, and will continue to work upon the re¬ 
 pair of the Fort all this Winter. This News Mr. 
 de Frontcnac receiv’d laft Night, which was the fixth 
 after his return to this City. 
 
 I had forgot to tell you that he brought with him 
 out of France , fome of thofe Ircquefe that Mr. de 
 Demmville had fent to the Galleys, as I intimated in 
 my thirteenth Letter ; the reft having perilh’d in 
 their Chains. Of all thefe unfortunate Barbarians 
 that he has brought back, the moft confiderable is 
 one that goes by the name of Oreouabe. He was 
 not us’d as a Galley Slave, in regard that he was the 
 Leader of the Goyoguans , and the Governour has 
 lodg’d him in the Caftlc, in confideration of the 
 efteem he /hews both for Mr. de Frontenac, and for the 
 French Nation. Some flatter themfelves with the 
 hopes, that fome Accommodation with the five iro- 
 <]uefe Nations may be effected by his Mediati¬ 
 on ; and for that end propofals of Peace are 
 now in agitation : But I have three good reafons 
 for predicting, that fuch a Defign will prove abor¬ 
 tive. I have already laid thefe Reafons before Mr. 
 de Frontcnac, who gave me to know, that after the 
 departure of the Ships, he would difcourfe me upon 
 that Head. I /hall not offer at the particulars of his 
 Interview, with Monfieur and Madam de Denonville ; 
 till fuch time as you and I have an opportunity of 
 talking under the Rofe. Some Officers accompany 
 Mr. Denonville and his Lady to France, in hopes of be¬ 
 ing prefer’d. In all probability the Ships will fet fail to 
 Morrow, for we have now a fair and gentle Wefterly 
 Gale; befides, that the feafon for quitting this Port, 
 is almoft (pent. Jam, 
 
 SIR , Yours, &c. 
 
to North- America. 
 
 Mg 
 
 letter XIX. 
 
 Dated at Monreal OBober 2. 1690* 
 
 Relating the Attempts upon Nw*England and 
 New-Y ork; a fatal Emlajfy fent ly the\ rench 
 to the Iroquefe; and an ill-concerted Inter- 
 prife of the Englilh and the Iroquefe, in 
 marching ly Land to Attack the French Co¬ 
 lony. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 A Bout fifteen days fince a Ship of Rochel laden 
 with Wine and Brandy, arriv’d in this Har¬ 
 bour ; and the Captain took care to convey a Let¬ 
 ter from you to my Hands. As to your defire of 
 having a circumftantial Account of the Trade ot 
 Canada, I cannot fatisfie it at prefent, for I am not 
 as yet fo thoroughly acquainted with all its Bran¬ 
 ches. But I allure you, that fome time or other 
 I lhall fend you fuch Memoirs, as will give you ia- 
 tisfa&ion upon that Head. In the mean time, l 
 hope you’ll be contented with an account ot what 
 pafs’d in this Country fince the date v of my lalt. 
 
 As foon as Mr. Denonville fet out trom Quebec, 
 upon his return to France , Mr. de Frontenac took pol- 
 feffion of the Fort, which is the common Refidence 
 of our Governour-General; and order d one ot our 
 beft Architects to make ' preparations for rebuilding 
 
 }t as foon as he could. . ... 
 
 In the beginning of this year, hAr. d Iberville zl- 
 tempted to pillage a fmall Village in New-M, 
 call’d by the Iroquefe Corlar ; which name they hke- 
 
 wiie give to all the Governours of that Englijh Co- 
 ' D lony. 
 
15 6 Some New Voyages 
 
 lony. This Gentleman, who is a Canadefe, was at¬ 
 tended by five hundred Coureursde Boh, andthelike 
 number of Savages; and the whole Party made the 
 Expedition over Snow and Ice, notwithftanding 
 they had three hundred Leagues to march back¬ 
 ward and forward, and that the Roads were very 
 rugged and troublefome. Mr d'lber-ville met with 
 wonderful Succefs, for after he had pillag’d, burnt, 
 and fack'd that little Village, with the adjacent 
 Cantons, he fell in with a Party of an hundred 
 lrotjuefe, and defeated ’em intirely. Much about 
 the fame time Mr. de Vortneuf , another Canada Gen¬ 
 tleman, march’d out at the Head of three hundred 
 Men, one half Savages, and the other half Coureursde 
 B«V,with intent to poffefs himfclf of a Fort belonging 
 to the Eng/ijl call’d Kenebeki , which ftands upon the 
 Sea-Coaft of New-England, towards the Frontiers of 
 Acadia. The Garrifon of this Fort made a brave 
 defence: But there being great quantities of Grana- 
 do’s and other Fire-works thrown in upon ’em, 
 while the Savages ( contrary to their Cuftom)fcal’d 
 the Palifiadoeson all hands, the Governour was ob¬ 
 lig’d to furrender upon Difcretion. ’Tis faid, that 
 in this Action th e Coureursde Aw; did their duty ve¬ 
 ry bravely, but the F.nterprife had prov’d fuccefslefs 
 without the afliftance of the Savages. 
 
 As foon as the Rivers were navigable, Mr. de Fron- 
 tenac offer’d to fend me with Propofals of Peaceto 
 the Iroquefe. But I made anfwer, that fince his Pock¬ 
 et and his Table had been free to me during the 
 Winter, I could not imagine that he had a mind 
 to be rid of me fo foon. Being oblig’d by this re¬ 
 ply to unfold my meaning, i remonftrated to him, 
 I hat, the King of England having loft his Crown, 
 and War being proclaim’d, theGovernours of New- 
 England and New.2>£, would infallibly ufe their 
 utnvoit Efforts to excite thefe Bandito’s to redouble 
 their Incur (ions j that for that end they would fur- 
 
to North America. 157 
 
 nilh ’em with Ammunition gratis , and even joyn 
 ’em in order to attack our Towns; and above all, 
 that the Intrigue of the Rat had fo provok’d ’em, 
 that in my opinion, ’twas impoffibie to appeale ’em. 
 Upon thefe Confiderations, 1 humbly befeech’d him 
 to have fome other Petfon in his view, in cafe he 
 perfifted in his defign of making a Trial of that 
 Nature. The Chevalier Do was lingled our for this 
 fatal Embaffy, being attended by one Colin, as In¬ 
 terpreter of the IrotjueJe Language, and two young 
 Canadans. They fet out in a Canow, and when 
 they came in fight of the Village of the Onmntagues, 
 were receiv’d with the honourable Salvo of feveral 
 good blows, and conducted with the fame Ceremo¬ 
 ny to the Village. Such a Retinue could not but 
 be difagreeable to the Gentleman that came to make 
 offers of a Peace. The ancient Men being quick¬ 
 ly affembled, thought it mod proper to fend ’em 
 back with a favourable Anfwer, and in the mean 
 time to ingage fome of the Agnies and Onnoyotes, to 
 lye in wait for ’em at the Catara&s of the River, 
 and there kill two, fending the third back to Que¬ 
 bec, and carrying the fourth to their Village, where 
 there would be found fome English that would 
 flioot ’em, that is, that would give ’em the fame 
 ufage as the Rat did to their Ambaffadours: So true 
 it is, that that Aftion flicks in their ftomachs. This 
 Projed had a&ually been put in. execution, if it had 
 not been for fome of the Planters of New-Kr^, 
 who were then among the Barbarians, having come 
 thither on purpofe to animate ’em againft us. Thefe 
 Planters knew fo well how to influence the Barba¬ 
 rians that were already bent upon Revenge; that a 
 Company of young Barbarians burnt ’em all alive, 
 excepting the Chevalier Do, whom they tied Hand 
 and Foot, and fent him bound to Bofton, with a 
 defign to pump out of him, a view of the condition 
 of our Colonies and Forces. This piece of News 
 
 we 
 
 
15 8 Some New Voyages 
 
 we receiv’d two Months after, by fome Slaves that 
 made their efcape from the Iroquefe ; and Mr. di 
 Frontenac, when furpris’d with fuch difmal News, 
 declar’d, that out of twenty Captains that offer’d 
 to execute that Commiflion, and would have ta- 
 ken the Imployment for an Honour, I was the only 
 one that had been capable of forefeeing its bad 
 Succefs. 
 
 June the 24 th, I imbarqu’d for this place in a 
 fluggilh Brigantine, that the Captain of the Go- 
 vernour’s Guards had caus’d to be built the forego¬ 
 ing Winter. This venerable Veflel had the ho- 
 nour to lodge the Intendant and his Lady; and all 
 of us being in no hafte, fpent ten or twelve days 
 by the way, and feafted like Kings every Night, 
 Mr. de Frontenac mark’d out a Fort in his palTageto 
 the City of Trots Rivieres, which I fpoke of before. 
 Fifteen days after our arrival in this place, a cer¬ 
 tain Savage whofe name was Flake, came and gave 
 us notice, that he had difcover’d a Body of a thou- 
 fand Englifl), and five hundred Iroquefe that march’d 
 up to attack us. Upon this Intelligence, all our 
 Troops crofs’d over to the Meadow of Madelaim , 
 oppofite to this City, and there incamp’d, in con¬ 
 junction with three or four hundred Savages that 
 were our Allies, in order to give the Enemy a warm 
 Reception. Our Camp was no fooner form’d, than 
 Mr. de Frontenac detach’d two or three finall Parties 
 of the Savages to obferve the Enemy. Thefe Parties 
 camefoon back, after having furpris’d fome ftragling 
 Iroquefe at hunting on the Confines of Chamflaint 
 Lake: The Prifoners inform’d us, that the Englijli 
 being unable to encounter the fatigues of the march, 
 and unprovided with a fufficient flock of Provifi- 
 ons, both they and the Iroquefe were return’d to 
 their own Country. This account being confirm’d 
 by other Savages, our Troops decamp’d, and march’d 
 back to this place, from whence I was detach’d 
 
to North America. 
 
 »T9 
 
 fome days after to command a Party that was to 
 cover the Reapers of Fort Roland, which lies in this 
 Ifland. When the Harveft was over I return’d to 
 
 i this place, along with the Hurons and the Outaouas, 
 who had come down from their own Country, in 
 purfuit of their ufual Trade in Skins, an account 
 
 is of which you had in my eight Letter. Thefe Tra¬ 
 ders continued here fifteen days, and then march’d 
 
 k home. 
 
 t This, Sir, is a Summary of all our Occurrences 
 
 ii of Moment fince the laft year. About fifteen days 
 hence, I think to fet out for Quebec, in Mr. de Fron- 
 
 ;i tenacs Brigantin. I conclude with my ufual Com- 
 
 k plement, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours, See. 
 
 LETTER XX. 
 
 Dated at Rocbel January 12. 1691. 
 
 e Being a Relation of a fecond and very important 
 V: Expedition of the Englifh by Sea ; in which is 
 
 e: contain'd a Letter written by the Englifh Ad- 
 
 iSi miral to the Count of Frontenac, with this 
 
 Covernour s Verbal Anjwer. As alfo an ac¬ 
 count of the Authours departure for France. 
 
 r SIR, 
 
 :f T am arriv’d at laft at Rochel, from whence I now 
 .. J. tranfmit you a Relation of all that pafs’d in 
 ... Canada, fince the date of my laft Letter. In the 
 ’ r fpace of a few days after that date, Mr. de Fronte- 
 i nac receiv’d advice that a ftrong Fleet of Englifi 
 | Ships, 
 
O 
 
 
 \ 6 o Some New Voyages 
 
 Ships, amounting to thirty four Sail, was feen near 
 Tadoujfac. Immediately he got on board of his Bri¬ 
 gantine, and order’d all the Troops to imbarque in 
 Canows and, Boots, and to row Night and Day to 
 prevent the Enemy ; all which was happily put in 
 execution. At the fame time he gave orders to Mr. 
 de Caliieres, to bring down as many of the Inhabi¬ 
 tants as poflibly he could. We row’d with fuch 
 expedition, and diligence, that we arriv’d the ]d 
 day at Quebec. As foon as Mr. de Frontenac debar- 
 qued, he view’d the weakeft Pods, and order’d 
 ’em to be fortified without lofs of time: He rais’d 
 Batteries in feveral places, and though in that ca¬ 
 pital City we had but twelve great Guns, and but 
 little Ammunition, yet he feem’d to be refolutely 
 bent upon an obftinate Refiftance to the efforts of 
 the Enemy’s Fleet, which in the mean time flood 
 catching of Flies, at the difiance of two Leagues 
 from Quebec. We took the advantage of their flow 
 approaches, and work’d inceffantly to put our lelves 
 in a pofiure of defence. Our Troops, our Militia, 
 and our confederate Savages, came up to us on all 
 hands. ’Tis certain, that if the Englifh Admiral 
 had made his Defcent before our arrival at Quebec, 
 or even two days after, he had carry’d the place 
 without ftriking a blow j for at that time there was 
 not two hundred French in the City, which lay 
 open, and expos’d on all hands. But inftead of 
 doing that, he cart Anchor towards the point of 
 the Ifland of Orleans , and loft three days in con- 
 fulting with the Captains of the Ships, before they 
 came to a Refolution. He took the Sieur Joliet 
 with his Lady and his Mother-in-Laws in a Bark in 
 the River of St. Laurence. Three Merchant-men 
 from France, and one laden with Beaver-Skins from 
 Hud/cn Bay, enter’d the River of Saguenay, by the 
 way of Tadoujfac, where they fculk’d, and after 
 hauling their Guns aflioar, rais’d very good Batte¬ 
 ries. 
 
to North- America. 161 
 
 ries. To be fhort, the Officers of the Enemy’s 
 Fleet came to a Refolution after the lofs of three or 
 four days in ufelefs Confultations, during which 
 time we were joyn’don all hands by great numbers of 
 Inhabitants and Soldiers. Purfuant to the refoluti¬ 
 on of the Councils of War, the Englijh Admiral* 
 namely. Sir William Phips, fent out his Sloop with a 
 French Flag upon its Prow, which made up to the 
 City with found of Trumpet. Upon this, Mr. de 
 Frontenac fent out another with a French Officer to 
 meet it, who found an Englijh Major in the Sloop, 
 who gave him to underftand, that he had the charge 
 of a Letter from his General, to the Governour of 
 Canada , and hop’d he might be allow’d to deliver it 
 himfelf. Upon that the French Officer took him 
 into his Sloop, and having blindfslded him, con¬ 
 ducted him to the Governour s Chamber; where 
 his Face being uncover’d, he deliver d him a Letter* 
 the fubftance of which was this. 
 
 * I Sir William Phips, General of the Forces of 
 ' New-England, by Sea and Land, to Count Front e- 
 € nac i Governour General of Quebec , by Orders from, 
 
 * and in the name of William III and Mary Ring 
 
 < and Queen of England j am come to make my felf 
 ‘ Matter of this Country. But in regard that I 
 
 * have nothing fo much in view, as the preventing 
 ‘ of the effulion of Blood, I require you to furren* 
 
 < der at difcretion, your Cities, Cattles, Forts , 
 
 « Towns, as well as your Perfons; alfuring you at 
 « the fame time* that you lhall meet with all man¬ 
 ner of good Ufage, Civility and Humanity. If 
 
 * you do not accept of this Propofal without any. 
 « Reftriction, I will indeavour, by the affiftance of 
 
 * Heaven, on which I rely, and the force of my 
 
 * Arms, to make a Conquelt of ’em. I expeCf a po* 
 « fitive anfwer in writing in the fpace of an Hour* 
 
 * and in the mean time give you notice* that after 
 
 M : 
 
\ 6 i Some New Voyages 
 
 * the commencement of Hoftilities, I (hall not enter- 
 
 * tain any thoughts of Accommodation 
 
 Sign’d, William Phipi. 
 
 After the Interpreter had tranflated the Letter to 
 Mr. de Frontenac, who was then furrounded with Of- t 
 
 ficers; he order’d the Captain of his Guards to a 
 
 make a Gibbet before the Fort, in order to hang the a 
 
 poor Major, who in all appearance underftood t< 
 
 French ; for upon the pronouncing of this fatal Sen- £ 
 
 tence, he was like to fwoon away. And indeed I a ! 
 
 muft fay, the Major had fome reafon to be affeded, a 
 
 for he had certainly been hang’d, if the Bifhop and 
 the Intendant, who to his good luck were then pre- 
 fent, had not interceded on his behalf. Mr. de Fm- J 
 tenac pretended, that they were a Fleet of Pyrates, 
 or of Peifons without Commiffion, for that the a 
 King of England was then in France. But atlaftthe 
 Governour being appeas’d, order’d the Major to re- c 
 pair forthwith on board of his Admiral, againft 
 whom he could defend himfelf the better, for not o 
 being attack d. At the fame time he declar’d, that 
 he knew no other King of Great Britain , than Jams [> 
 II, that his rebellious Subje&s were Pyrates, and j 
 that he dreaded neither their Force nor their Threats. 
 
 This faid, he threw Admiral Phips’s Letter in the i 
 Major’s face, and then turn’d his Back upon him. 
 Upon that the poor Ambalfadour took frefh cou¬ 
 rage, and looking upon his Watch, took the liber- j 
 ty to ask Mr. de Frontenac, if he could not have his \ 
 
 Anfwer in Writing before the hour elaps’d. But the , 
 
 Governour made anfwer with all the haughtinefs 
 and difdain imaginable, that his Admiral deferv’d | 
 no other anfwer, than what flew from the Mouth | 
 of Cannons and Muskets. Thefe words were no 
 looner pronounc’d, than the Major was forc’d to 
 rake his Letter again, and being blind-folded, was 
 reconduded to his Sloop, in which he row’d to¬ 
 wards the Fleet .with all expedition. The 
 
to North- America. \ 6 \ 
 
 The next day about two in the Afternoon, lixtv 
 Sloops were lent afhoar with ten or twelve hundred 
 Men, who flood upon the Sand in very good or¬ 
 der. After that the Sloops went back to the Ships, 
 and brought afhoar the like Compliment cf Men, 
 which was afterwards joyn’d by a third Comple¬ 
 ment of the fame number. Asfoon as thefe Troops 
 were landed, they began to march towards the Ci¬ 
 ty with Drums beating, and Colours flying. This 
 Defcent was made over againft the ifle ot Orleans, 
 about a League and a half below Quebec ; but ’twas 
 not fo expeditious, but that our Confederate Sava¬ 
 ges, with two hundred Ccttrcurs dc Hois, ai d fifty 
 Officers, had time to polt tuemfelves inaCopfe of 
 thick Brambles, which lay half a League oft the 
 place of Landing. It being impoffible for fo fmall 
 a Party to come to an open Battle with a numerous 
 Enemy, they were forc’d to fight after the manner 
 of the Savages, that is, to lay Ambufcadoes from 
 place to place in the Copfe, which was a quarter 
 of a League broad. This way of waging War 
 prov’d wondei fully fuccefsful to us, for our Men 
 being polled in the middle of the Copfe, we fuffer’d 
 the Englijb to enter, and then fir’d upon ’em, ly¬ 
 ing flat upon the ground till they fir’d their pieces } 
 after which we fprung up, and drawing into knots 
 here and there, repeated our fire with fuch fuccefs, 
 that the Englifls Militia perceiving our Savages fell 
 into confufion and diforder, and their Battalions 
 were broke} infomuch, that they betook themfelves 
 to flight, crying out, Indians, Indians, and gave our 
 Savages the opportunity of making a bloody (laugh¬ 
 ter among ’em, for we found three hundred Men 
 left upon the fpot, without any other lofs on our 
 fide, than that of ten Coureurs de Boss, four Officers, 
 and two Savages. 
 
 The next day the Englijh landed four pieces of 
 brafs Cannon mounted like Field-pieces, and fought 
 
 M z very 
 
j Some TSlew Voyages 
 
 very bravely, though they were very ill difciplin’d. 
 
 ’Tis certain there was no want of Courage on their ' 
 fide, and their want of Succefs muft be imputed to 
 their unacquaintednefs with Military Difcipline, to 
 their being infeebled by the fatigues of the Sea, and 
 to the ill conduct of Sir William Phips, who upon 
 this Enterprife could not have done more than he 1 
 
 did, if he had been ingag’d by us to ftand ftill with t 
 
 his hands in his Pockets. This day pafs’d over more I 
 peaceably than the next: For then the Englijh made a 3 
 fre/li attempt to force their palfage through the [ 
 
 Copfe, by the help of their Artillery ; but they loft r 
 
 three or four hundred more in the attempt, and ( 
 were forc’d to retire with all diligence to the Land- ( 
 
 ing-place : On our fide we loft Mr. de St. Helms, \ 
 
 who dy’d of a wound in his Leg, and about forty 
 French-men and Savages. This Victory animated us ' 
 fo much, that we purfued the Englijh to their Camp, 
 and lay all Night flat upon the ground juft by it, 
 with a defign to attack it by the break of day: 
 
 But they Liv’d us the labour, for they imbarqued a- i 
 bout Midnight with fuch confufion, that we kill’d 
 fifty more of ’em, rather by chance, than by dexte¬ 
 rity, whiie they were getting into their Boats. When 
 day came, we tranfported to Quebec their Tents and 
 their Cannon, which they had left behind ’em; 
 the Savages being in the mean time imploy’d in flop¬ 
 ping the dead in the Wood. 
 
 The fame day that the Defcent was made, Sir 
 William Phips weigh’d and came to an Anchor with 
 four great Ships, at the diftance of a Musket- fhot 
 from the lower City, where we had only one Batte¬ 
 ry of fix or eight Pounders. There he Cannonadoed 
 for twenty four hours fo handfomly, that the fire 
 of the great Guns equal’d that of thefmall Arms. 
 
 1 he dammage they did to the roofs of the Houfes, 
 amounted to five or fix Piftoles ,• for as I inform’d 
 you in my firft Letter, the Walls of the Houfes are 
 fo hard, that a Ball cannot pierce ’em. When 
 
to North- America. 1 6$ 
 
 When Sir William Pbips had made an end of thefe 
 glorious Exploits, he fent to demand of Mr. de Fron- 
 tenac fome Englifh Prifoners, in exchange for the 
 Sieur Joliet, with his Wife and his Mother, and fome 
 Seamen; which was forthwith put in execution. 
 This done, the Fleet weigh’d Anchor and (leer’d 
 homeward. As foon as the three Merchantmen 
 that lay fculking in the River of Saguenay, faw the 
 Fleet running below 7 'adoujfac with lull Sail before 
 a Wefterly Gale, they put their Guns aboard, and 
 purfuing their Voyage with great fatisfa&ion, ar¬ 
 riv’d at Quebec on the 1 2th of November. They had 
 fcarce put their Cargoe on (hoar, when the bitter 
 cold cover’d the River with Ice, which dammag’d 
 their Ships fo much, that they were forc’d to run 
 ’em aihoar. This troublefom Frod was ns uneafie 
 to me, as to Mr. de Fronttnac', for I then faw that I 
 was oblig’d to pafs another Winter in Canada, and 
 Mr. de Frontenac was at a lofs, to contrive a way of 
 fending the King advice of this Enterprile. But by 
 good luck, there came all of a fudden a downfal of 
 Rain, which was follow’d by a Thaw, and was e- 
 qually acceptable to us both. Immediately theGo- 
 vernour order’d an unrigg’d Frigat to be rigg’d and 
 fitted out; which was done accordingly with fuch 
 difpatch, that the Ballad, Sails, Ropes, and Mads, 
 were all in order almod as foon as the Orders were 
 given out. When the Frigat was ready to fail, the 
 Governour told me, that the making of France as 
 foon as ever I could, would be a piece of important 
 Service; and that I ought rather to perilh, than to 
 fuffer my felf to be taken by the Enemy,or to put in at 
 any Port whatfoever by the way. At the fame time 
 he gave me a particular Letter to Mr. de Seignelay, 
 the purport of which was much to my advantage. 
 
 I put to Sea the 2.0th of November , the like of 
 which was never feen in that place before. At the 
 Jfie of Coudres we ’fcap’d luckily, for there the 
 
 M 3 North- 
 
 c 
 

 \66 Some “Hew Voyages 
 
 North-Eaft Wind blew fo hard upon us, that aftet 
 we had drop’d Anchor, we thought to have 
 been fplic in pieces in the Night-time. The 
 reft of our paffage was good enough, for we en¬ 
 counter’d but one Storm till we arriv’d at this place. 
 Indeed we met with contrary Winds, about ijo 
 Leagues off the coart of France, which oblig’d us 
 to traverfe, and lye by for a long time, and ’twas 
 for this reafon that our paffage was fo long. 
 
 I hear you are now in Provence, and that Mr. dt 
 Seignelai is gone upon a Voyage to the other World, 
 which is of a quite different nature from that I have 
 juft perform’d. In earneft, Sir, his Death is the 
 laft misfortune to the Navy of France, to the Colo¬ 
 nies of the two America's, and to me in particular, 
 fince Mr. de Frontenacs Recommendatory Letter is 
 thereby render’d ufelefs to me. I am, 
 
 SIR, Tours , &c. 
 
 
 i 
 
 j 
 
 r 
 
 i 
 
 C 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 -- , 
 
 LETTER XXI. 
 
 Dated at Rochcl July 16. 1691. 
 
 Containing a Defcription of the Courts or Offices 
 of the'Minijiers of State , and a view offome 
 Services that are iB rewarded at Court. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 '■*1 ''H E Letter you writ to me two Months agoe 
 X came to my Hands at Paris ; but I could not 
 give you an anfwer there, becaufe I had not then 
 done my bufinefs. Now that I am return’d to Ro- 
 chel, I have leifure time enough to inform you of 
 all that befell me fince my return to France. Asfoon 
 as I arriv’d at Verjaillts , l waited upon Mr. de Pony 
 
 thartrain, 
 
to Kortb- America. 1 67 
 
 cbartrain , who fucceeded Mr. de Seignelai. I repre- 
 fenced to him, that Mr. de Frontenac had given me a 
 Letter to his Predeceffour,in which he took notice of 
 the Services I had done. I remonftrated to him, 
 that my Eftate being feiz’d upon, and there being 
 feveral Law-fuits to be adjufted, where my prefence 
 was necelfary, I hop’d his Majefty would give me 
 leave to quit his Service. He made anfwer, that 
 he had been inform’d of the date of my Affairs, 
 and that I was allow’d to purfue the management of 
 ’em, till the departure of the laft Ships that are 
 bound this year tor Quebec , to which Place he mean d 
 I fhould return. Having receiv’d this anfwer, I 
 went from Verfailles to Paris, where my Relations 
 drew me into a confultation of feveral Counfellors, 
 who declar’d that my Affairs were fo perplex’d, that 
 in their opinion, I could not have’em adjufted in fo 
 fhorta time. In the mean time,the Crowns I wasforc’d 
 to lug out for this Confultation, turn’d my Stomach 
 againft the going to Law with Perfons that had fo 
 much intereft in the Parliament of Paris ; infomuch, 
 that I was almoft in the mind of lofing my Right, 
 rather than to enter upon the Law-fuic. However, I 
 did not fail to put in for a provifion upon my con- 
 fifcated Eftate, by vertue of my being aftually in 
 the Service. But the foiliciting of that, coft me fo 
 much trouble and charges, that though my power¬ 
 ful Adverfaries had not been able to prevent the ob¬ 
 taining of my requeft, yet the Sum adjudg’d there¬ 
 upon, would not be fufficient to anfwer the char¬ 
 ges I was at. Mejjieurs de Bragelone are very honoura¬ 
 ble Gentlemen, as you know very well. ’Tis true,they 
 love Piftoles better than their Relations, and upon 
 that Principle contented themfelves in doing me the 
 honour of their good Advice, for their Generofity 
 do’s not go much further; and if I had no other re¬ 
 fuge than theirs, I fhould be but in a forry conditi¬ 
 on. The Abbot of Ecouttes , who is more liberal, 
 
 M 4 tho* 
 
tho’ not fo rich as they, made me a Prefent of a hun- l 
 
 dred Louis d'ors, which I applied to the payment of c 
 
 the Fees, for being receiv’d into the Order of St. t 
 
 Lazarus. The Ceremony of that Inftallment was ; 
 
 perform’d in Mr. de Louvois his Chamber, and did not i 
 
 iaft fo long as the telling of the Money. I was in a 
 
 hopes that this generous Abbot would have beftow’d it 
 
 upon me fome fimple Benefice that he might have 1 ! 
 
 thrown in my way, without injuring himfelf: But it « 
 
 Teems, a fcruple of Confidence flood my Enemy. i 
 
 Upon the whole, Sir, I was e’en forc’d at laft to go ii 
 
 to Verfailles to follicit for a Place, which is the t 
 
 mod cutting and vexatious Office in the World. t 
 
 Do but confider. Sir, that in thofe Royal Apart- c 
 
 ments Crowns fly, and no body knows where they c 
 
 go. One muft patiently attend five or fix hours a 1 
 
 day in Mr. de Pontcbartrains Apartments, only to t 
 
 fihew himfelf every time that that Minifter goes out t 
 
 or comes in." i 
 
 He no fooner appears, than every one crowds in 
 to prelent Memorials clogg’d with fifty Reafons, I 
 which commonly fly off as light as the Wind. As 
 foon as he receives thefie Petitions, he gives ’em to 
 fame Secretary or other thac follows him ; and this 
 Secretary carries ’em to Meflieurs de la Touche, de 
 Began, and de Saluberri ; whofe Footmen receive 
 Piftoles from mod of the Officers, who without 
 that Expedient, would be in danger of catching cold 
 at the Door of the Office of thefie Deputies. ’Tis 
 from that expedient alone, that their good or bad 
 deftiny inqft flow. Pray undeceive your felf, as to 
 your notion of the protection of great Lords: The 
 time is gone in which the Minifters granted what¬ 
 ever they ask’d for their Baftards, their Footmen, 
 and their Vaffals. There is but two or three Prin¬ 
 ces or Dukes, who being great Favourites, will med¬ 
 dle in protecting thofe that have no immediate de- 
 pendance upon ’em : And if thefie do it, ’tis very 
 
 feldom; 
 
to North America. 16 $ 
 
 feldom ; for you know that the Gentry of France is in 
 no great Circumftances,and thefe greatLords have of¬ 
 tentimes poor Friends of their own, for whom they 
 are oblig’d to ask places, in order to their Subfiftence. 
 As the World goes now, the Minifters are upon fuch 
 a foot, that they’ll refufe any thing to Perfons of 
 the higheft Dignity about Court, by replying, the 
 King will have it fo, or the King will have it other- 
 wife. And as for the Topick of Merit; that’s fuch 
 a frightful Monfter, that it can have no Reception 
 in the Minifters Offices, nay, mod of the Minifters 
 are ftruck with horrour when they think of it. ’Tis 
 the Minifters, in efifed, that difpofe of all pla¬ 
 ces, though it appears as if ’twere the King. They 
 do what they pleafe, without being accountable to 
 him, for he puts all upon the aflfedion and zeal 
 they ought to have for his Service. They carry Ex- 
 trads to him, in which the merit of the Officers 
 they mean to prefer, is either fuppos’d orextoll’d. 
 But the Memorials of thdfe they do not like, are 
 far from appearing. 
 
 I’m forry I fhould be oblig’d to lay this truth be¬ 
 fore you; however, I mention no particular Mi- 
 nifter, for they are not all of that kidney. I know 
 fome of ’em that would fcorn to do the leaft in- 
 juftice to any Man whatfoever; and would notfuf- 
 fer their Suilfes, or their Lackeys, or even their De¬ 
 puties or Clerks, to intrigue for the preferment of 
 fuch and fuch Perfons by the means of Piftoles. Thefe 
 dexterous Intriguers, do by indired means make more 
 Officers, than you have hairs on your Head; and 
 ’tis for that reafon they are faluted a League off, 
 and dignify’d as ferioufly with the Title of Monfieur, 
 as their Mafters are with that of Monfeigneur or 
 Grandeur. Thefe laft Titles have been acquir’d by 
 our Minifters and Secretaries of State, with, as 
 much glory, as by our Bifhops. We muft not think 
 it ftrange therefore, that even our General Officers 
 
 have 
 
17 o Some New Voyages 
 
 have the words Monfeigneur and Grandeur to frequent¬ 
 ly in their Mouths, provided it be accompany’d 
 with that of your Excellency. I fwear, Sir, 1 could 
 find matter for a Book of three hundred Pages in 
 Folio, if I had a mind to be particular upon the in¬ 
 trigues of the Officers and Minifters of State; upon 
 the means by which the Sollicitors compafs their ends, 
 the notorious Knavery of a certain fort of People, 
 and the patience with which the Officers muft be 
 fortified ; upon the contempt that thofe meet with, 
 who have no other Recommendation than Merit, 
 and in a word, upon all the inftances of Injuftice, 
 that are practis’d without the King’s knowledge. 
 
 Let it be as it will, I muft acquaint you that af¬ 
 ter a fruitlefs Sollicitation for what I thought I had 
 fome Title to, in confideration of my Services, I 
 receiv’d this Anfwer, that the King would order 
 Mr. de Frontenac to provide for me as handfomly as 
 he could, when an occafion offer’d : So that I was 
 forc’d to reft finish'd with my Anfwer, and re- 
 folve to continue a Captain for ever; for I know 
 very well that the Govemour of Canada can not 
 prefer me to a higher Poft. 
 
 Having left Verjailles, I came hither with all ex¬ 
 pedition , and then went to receive the com¬ 
 mands of the Intendantof Rochefort. He acquainted 
 me that the Ship call’d Honore was fitting up, and 
 that I might fail as foon as ’twas ready. He re¬ 
 commended to me the Chevalier de Meaupou , Ma¬ 
 dam Pontcbartrains Nephew, who is to go along 
 with me. This Gentleman having the curiofity to 
 fee Canada, is come hither from Paris, withahand- 
 fom Retinue. ’Tis in vain to fet forth to him the 
 tedioufnefs of the Paffage, the inconveniencies of 
 the Sea, and the difagreeablenefs of the Coun¬ 
 try ; for all thele Arguments ferve only to inflame 
 his Curiofity. The Count Jl Aunay is to convoy 
 us to the Latitude of Cape Fwifterre, at which place 
 
to North America. ' 7 * 
 
 he is to take leave of us, and return to Rochefort. 
 We only ftay for a fair Wind to put to Sea. I am, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours, &C. 
 
 LETTER XXII. 
 
 Dated at Quebec Nov. io. 1691. 
 
 Which contains an Account pf the Authors depart 
 parture from Rochel to Quebec, of his Voy- 
 age to the Mouth of the River St. Laurence, 
 of a Ren-counter he had with an Englilh Ship 
 which he fought ; of the Jlranding of his Ship ; 
 of his failing through the River St. Laurence; 
 of the News he receiv'd , that a Tarty of the 
 Englilh and Iroquefe had defeated a Body 
 of the French troops. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 T W O days after I wrote to you, we fet fail 
 from the Harbour of Rochel, upon our great 
 Voyage to Canada. On the ^th of Augufi we per¬ 
 ceiv’d a great Ship, which the Count of Aunay gav e 
 chafe to, who having a better Sailer, came up with 
 her in three hours time, whereupon fhe on a lud- 
 den put up Genoefe Colours. Some Guns were hr 
 upon the Prow, to oblige her to (frike; but the Cap¬ 
 tain was fo obftinate, that Mr. d’Aunay was fore d to 
 give her a Broadfide, which kill d four or five o 
 the Seamen, whereupon the reft were oblig d to put 
 out their Long-boat, and carry to his Ship their 
 Paffports and Bills of Lading. On the 10 tb, after 
 
172 i Some New Voyages 
 
 they had taken the Latitude, the Pilots thinking that 
 they were even with Cape Finifter, Mr. d'Aunaj fent 
 out his Long-boat, to acquaint me that he was then 
 upon his return home, upon which I wrote him a 
 Letter of thanks. Father Becbefer a Jefuit, who had 
 been many years Superior of the College of Quebec, 
 whither he was now going in the fame Capacity, was 
 forc’d to throw himfelf into this Long-boat, in order 
 to his return into France , having found himfelf con¬ 
 tinually indifpos’d, from the firft day we put to Sea. 
 On the 2;^of Auguji we had a great Storm of Wind 
 from the North-Weft, which lafted about twenty four 
 hours, being then a hundred Leagues off the Bank of 
 Newfound- Lr This Bank takes its Name from the I- 
 
 flandof f ud-Land, a Map of which is here annex l 
 
 W ; Storm was over, there fucceeded a 
 Win. from the North-Eaft, which drove us in tenor 
 twelve hours, to the Mouth of the River ofSt.I««- 
 rence. On the 6 th of September we difcover’d a Ship 
 failing from the Coaft of Gafpb, which bore down 
 upon us with a full fail. We thought at firft that 
 they were French coming from Quebec , but their way 
 of working the Ship difcover’d to us within an hour 
 after, that they were Enemies. After we knew 
 them, we prepar’d to fight them, and they being a- 
 bout a League to the Windward of us, came quick¬ 
 ly down upon us with full Sail, within Musket- 
 /hot. Prefently they put up Englifh Colours, and gave 
 us a Broad-fide ; and we put up our own Colours, 
 and paid them home in theirown Coyn. The Fight 
 lafted two hours, and both fides fir’d continually 
 one upon another, but the Sea being tempeftuous, 
 we were oblig’d to /hear off as Night came on, 
 without fiiffering any other lofs, than; the wound¬ 
 ing of two Seamen, and the receiving of twenty 
 eight or thirty /hot in our Mafts, Sails, and Rig¬ 
 ging. Two days after we met Mr. Data, Captain 
 pf the Hazardous, who was homeward bound for 
 
 FraWi 
 
to North- America. 
 
 France, being a Convoy to ten or twelve Merchant 
 Ships. He gave me fome Refrefhments, and told 
 me fome news of Canada , which were very accep¬ 
 table. We purfu’d our courfe in fpight of the South- 
 Eaft Wind, which oblig’d us to tack about feveral 
 ways, till we came to Portneuf, near to TadouJJ'ac. 
 In this place we were ftranded by the fault of the 
 Coafting-Pilot, who being obftinate for cafting An¬ 
 chor near the Land, was like to have been the caufe 
 of a Shipwrack At Midnight the Ship was fo dafti’d 
 
 againft the Sand, that I thought (he was fplit ia 
 pieces, but the Tide ebbing by degrees, Ihe was left 
 lying upon the Coaft, without any apparent Dam¬ 
 age. I prefently caus’d a Kedger to be dropt in 
 the deep Water belag’d with feveral Ropes call’d 
 Grelins Epiffes ( fee the Explication Table, ) and the 
 next Morning the Tide returning fet the Ship afloat, 
 and then we haul’d it in with the Capeftan. On 
 the i;ti6 we call anchor near the Red IJland, and the 
 next day being the 14 th, we pafs’d that Channel 
 without danger, by the favour of a frelh Gale from 
 ! the North-Eaft. 
 
 J On the x <>tb we eaft Anchor at the 1 (le of Harts : 
 
 On the 16th we pafs’d the IJle of Coudres : On the 
 * 17 th we weather’d the Cape of Tourmente, and the 
 
 next day we anchor’d in this Port. From the 
 i Mouth of the River to this place, we had the fineft 
 £ Sunlhine days that ever were feen : During which 
 i time, I had both leifure and opportunity to view 
 the Coafts on the right Hand and the left, while we 
 
 i tack’d about and about as the wind ferv’d. When 
 I faw a great many Rivers on the South fide, Iask’d 
 
 s the Pilots why the Ships us’d to fleer their courfe 
 t on the North fide, where there is no Anchorage 
 it to be found, but at Papinachefe, the feven IJles, and 
 
 ii Portneuf. They anfwer’d me, that the ordinary Bree- 
 j: zes of the rough North-Weft Wind, which blows 
 i upon this River for three quarters of a year, were 
 
 the 
 
174 Some New Voyages 
 
 the true caufe why they durft not go far from the 
 North fide; and that no body could enfure a Ship 
 that ffiould fleer on the South fide, except it were 
 in the Months of June , July , and August. If it 
 were not for that, I believe it would be more plea- 
 fant, more eafie, and lefs dangerous to fail on the 
 South, than on the North fide, becaufe one might 
 cafi Anchor every Night at the entrance of thofe I 
 Rivers which difcharge themfelves all along that 
 Coafl, and would not be oblig’d to be veering a- 
 bout continually Night and Day, as he is forc’d to 
 do, when he fleers his courfe on the North fide. 
 This, Sir, is all I had to fay at prefent about our 
 failing in this River, which l /hall have occafion to 
 mention to you again. After our Ship call Anchor 
 before Quebec, I landed with the Chevalier Mtaufou, 
 whom 1 conduced to the Houfe of Mr. Frontenac, who 
 offer’d to him as well as to me, the ufe of his Table 
 and Houfe. I am inform’d that 500 Englijh, and 2®o 
 Iroauefe, approach'd about two Months agoe to the 
 Ifie of Munreal ; That the Governour ot that file 
 tranfported iy Companies from the other fide of the 
 River, to watch their Motions; That a Detach¬ 
 ment of the Enemy having furpriz’d our Out- 
 Guards, attack’d the whole Body of them, and our 
 Camp at the fame time with fo much Vigour and 
 Courage, that they kill’d upon the fpot more than 
 three hundred Soldiers,befides two Captains,fix Lieu¬ 
 tenants, and five Enligns; and that after this fatal 
 Expedition, Mr. Valrenes, a Captain of the Ma* 
 rines, fet out from Monreal , with a Detachment of 
 French and Savages, to go to Fort Chambli, (for 
 fear the IroejueJe ihould attack that Poft ) who ha¬ 
 ving met in their paffage a party of Englijh and Iroyuefe, 
 attack’d them vigoroufly, and defeated them. 
 
 All thefe different Adventures give me ground 
 to coojefturc, that it will be much more difficult 
 
 than 
 
to North America. 6 7 5 
 
 than *tis imagin’d, to make a good Peace with the 
 five Nations of the Iroquefe. Mr. Frcntenac has given 
 the neceffary Orders to all the neighbouring Habi¬ 
 tations, that they ftiould tranfport a great quantity 
 of Stakes and Lime in the Winter time to the Neigh¬ 
 bourhood of this City. Farewel Sir, the laft Ships 
 which are to depart hence for France, will fail in 
 three or four days. I am, 
 
 SIR, Tours, &c. 
 
 LETTER XXIII. 
 
 Dated at Plants Oclob> 25.1692. 
 
 Containing an Account of the taking of fome 
 EngUlh Vejfels , of defeating a Party of the 
 Iroquefe, of an Iroquefe burnt alive at Que¬ 
 bec ; of another Party of thefe Barbarians, who 
 having furprizd fome Coureurs de Bois, were 
 afterwards furprizd themfelves. Of the Pro- 
 jell of an Enterprize propos'd by Mr. Fronte- 
 nac to the Author. Of the Authors departure 
 in a Frigat for France, and his flopping at Pla¬ 
 centia, which was attack’d by an Englifh Fleet 
 that came to take that Pofl from us. How the 
 Englifh faifd in their Defign , and the Author 
 purfudhis Voyage. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 T HIS Letter comes from Brit any, and not from 
 Canada, from whence I parted fuddenly to re¬ 
 turn into France, about two Months after I re¬ 
 ceiv’d your Letter, which I could not then anfwer 
 t for want of an opportunity. You tell me, that you 
 j are fatisfi’d with the Defcription I have fern you of 
 
 the 
 
i j6 Some N ew Voyages 
 
 the River St. Laurence, and that you would be very 
 glad to have as exadt an account of the whole Coun¬ 
 try of Canada. I can fcarce fatisfie your defire at 
 prefent, becaufe I have not yet had time to fort all 
 my Memoirs, and therefore you muft not take it 
 amifs, that I pray you to fufpend your curiolity for 
 feme time. In the mean time, here follows the 
 Relation of fome things that happen’d in Canady 
 which may be acceptable to you. 
 
 Immediately after the Ships parted from Quekc 1 
 the lad year, Mr. Frontenac order’d a Plan to be 1 
 drawn of a Wall to encompafs the City, and ha¬ 
 ving tranfported thither all the Materials neceffary 
 for building fome Redoubts of Stone, he took care 
 to fortifie it during the Summer. Some days agoe 
 a Gentleman of New-England call’d Nelfon, was 
 brought prifoner to Quebec, who was taken in the 
 River of Kenebeki, upon the Coaft of Acadia, together 
 with three Ships belonging to him, and becaufe he 
 was a very gallant Man, Mr. Frontenac gave him a 
 Lodging at liis own Houfe, and treated him with 
 all manner of Civility. About the beginning of 
 this year, this Governour gave the command of a 
 Party confiding of iyo Soldiers, to Chevalier Beau- 
 cour, with whom fifty of the Savages that were our 
 Friends were joyn’d, in order to march on the 
 Ice towards Fort Frontenac. About thirty or forty 
 Leagues from Monreal , they me t a Company of fix- 
 ty Iroquefe, who were difeover’d by the Foot-fteps 
 of fome of their Hunters, that had dragled out of 
 their Cottages, and the next day they were all fur- 
 priz’d, and either had their Throats cut, or were 
 made Prifoners. The Sieur de la Plante who liv’d 
 in Slavery with thefe Wretches, had the good for¬ 
 tune to be prefent in their Company when they 
 were defeated, and he had certainly been kill’d with 
 his Mafiers, if he had not cry’d out with all his 
 Might, Spare me, 1 am a Frenchman : He was one of 
 
 the 
 
to North America. t 77 
 
 I: the four Officers, who had the misfortune to be ta¬ 
 li ken in that fatal Incurfion, which thefeTygers made 
 e into Monreal, as I told you in my lyth Letter, i e 
 ( Chevalier Beaucour return’d again to the Colony with 
 t his Party, and brought along with him twelve Pri- 
 - foners of the Irequeje , who were immediately con- 
 duded to Quebec : After they arriv’d, Mr. Frontenac 
 did very judicioufly condemn two of the wicked- 
 eft of the Company, to be burnt alive with a flow * 
 r Fire. This Sentence extreamly terrified the Gover- 
 : nour’s Lady, and the Jefuits; the Lady usd all 
 manner of fupplication to procure a moderation ot 
 the terrible Sentence, but the Judge was inexorable, 
 
 : and the Jefuits employ’d all their Eloquence in vain 
 : upon this occafion. The Governour anfwered 
 them, “ That it was abfolutely neceffary to make 
 « fome terrible examples of Severity to frighten the 
 : « Iroquefe ; That fince thefe Barbarians burnt almolt 
 
 E “ all the French , who had the misfortune to fall in- 
 c « to their Hands, they muft be treated after the 
 tc fame manner, becaufe the Indulgence which had 
 « hitherto been ftiown them, feem’d to authorize 
 “ them to invade our Plantations, and fo much the 
 a “ rather to do it, becaufe they run no other hazard, 
 
 “ than that of being taken, and well kept at their 
 “ Matter’s Houfes; but when they ffiould under- 
 cc ftand that the French caus’d them to be burnt, they 
 would have a care for the future, how they ad- 
 P “ vanc’d with fo much boklnefs to the very Gates 
 « of our Cities; and in fine, That the Sentence of 
 <c Death being paft, thele two wretches muft pre- 
 ■t “ pare to take a Journey into the other World. 
 This obftinacy appear’d furprizing in Mr. Fronte»ac, 
 who but a little before had favour’d the eicape ot 
 three or four Perfons liable to the Sentence of Death, 
 upon the importunate prayer of Madam the Gover- 
 nefs: but though ffie redoubled her earneft Suppli¬ 
 cations, Ihe could not alter his firm Refolution as 
 
 N «> 
 
 
178 Some New Voyages 
 
 to thefe two Wretches. The Jefuits were thereup¬ 
 on fent to Baptize them, and oblige them to ac¬ 
 knowledge the Trinity, and the Incarnation, and 
 to reprefent to them the Joys of Paradife, and the 
 Torments of Hell, within the fpace of eight or ten 
 hours. You will readily confefs, Sir, that this was 
 a very bold way of treating thefe great Myderies, 
 and that to endeavour to make the Iroquefe under¬ 
 hand them fo quickly, was to expofe them to their 
 Laughter Whether they took thefe Truths for Songs, 
 I do not know; but this I can allure you, that from 
 the Minute they were acquainted with this fatal 
 News, they fent back thefe good Fathers without e- 
 ver hearing them ; and then they began to fing the 
 fong of Death, according to the cuftom of the Sa¬ 
 vages. Some charitable Perfon having thrown a 
 Knife to them in Prifon, he who had the lead Cou¬ 
 rage of the two, thruft it into his Bread, and died 
 Gf the Wound immediately. Some young Huron* of 
 Lorette, aged between fourteen and fifteen years, 
 came to feize the other, and carry him away to the 
 Diamant Cape, where notice was given to prepare a 
 great pile of Wood. He ran to death with a great¬ 
 er unconcernednefs, than Socrates would have done, 
 if he had been in his cafe. During the time of Ex¬ 
 ecution he fung continually ; “ That he was a War- 
 “ riour, brave and undaunted ; that the mod cruel 
 C£ kind of Death could not Ihock his Courage, that 
 “ no Torments could extort from him any Cries, 
 “ that his Companion was a Coward for having 
 “ kill’d himfelf through the fear of Torment ; and 
 * £ ladly, that if he was burnt, he had this Comfort, 
 ££ that he had treated many French and Hurons after 
 “ the fame manner. All that he faid was very true, 
 and chiefly as to his own courage and firmnefs of 
 Soul; for I can truly fwear to you, that he nei¬ 
 ther Ihed Tears, nor was ever perceiv’d to Sigh; 
 but on the contrary, during all the time that hefuf- 
 
to North- America. \ 79 
 
 fer’d the moft horrible Torments that could be in¬ 
 vented, and which lafted about the fpace of three 
 hours, he never ceas’d one Minute from Tinging. 
 The foies of his Feet were roafted before two great 
 Stones red hot, for more than a quarter of an hour; 
 the tops of his Fingers were fcorch’d in a Stove of 
 lighted Pipes; during which Torture he did not 
 draw back his Hand. After this the feveral joynts 
 of his Body were cut off, one after another: The 
 Nerves of his Limbs and Arms were diftorted with 
 a little Iron Wand, after fuch a manner, as cannot 
 poflibly be expreis’d. In fine, after many other 
 Tortures, the hair of his Head was taken off after 
 fuch a manner, that there remain’d nothing but the 
 Skull, upon which thefe young Executioners were 
 going to throw fome burning Sand, when a certain 
 Slave of the Hurons of Lorette , by the order of Ma¬ 
 dam the Governefs, knock’d him on the head with 
 a Club, which put an end to his Martyrdom. As 
 to my felf, I vow and fwear, that the Prologue of 
 this Tragedy, created in me fo great a Horror, that 
 I had not the curiofity to fee the end of it, nor to 
 hear this poor Wretch fing to the laft moment 
 of his Life. I have feen fo many burnt againft my 
 Will, amongft thofe People where I fojourn’d, du¬ 
 ring the courfe of my Voyages, that I cannot think 
 of Tt without trouble. ’Tis a fad Spertacle, at which 
 every one is obliged to be prefent, when he happens 
 to Sojourn among thefe Savage Nations, who inflirt 
 this cruel kind of Death upon their Prifoners of 
 War; for as I have told you in one of my Letters, 
 all the Savages prartife this barbarous Cruelty. No¬ 
 thing is more grating to a civil M.m, than that he 
 .as oblig’d to be a Witnefs of the Torments which 
 this kind of Martyrs fuffer; for if any one fhould 
 pretend to fhun this Sight, or exprefs any Compaili- 
 on for them, he would be efteem’d by them a Map 
 of no Courage. 
 
 N 2 After 
 
 X 
 
i8o 
 
 Some New Voyages 
 
 
 
 After the Navigation was open and free, the 
 Sie ur St. Michel a Canadan, fet out from Monreal for 
 the Beaver Lakes, at the Head of a Party of the 
 Coreurs de Boh, with feverai Canowsladen with fuch 
 Goods as are proper for the Savages. In their paf- 
 fage from Long-Saut, to the River of the Outaouas, 
 they met fixty Iro^uefe, who furpriz’d them,and cut all 
 their Throats except four, that had the good for¬ 
 tune to efcape, and carry the news to Monreal. As 
 foon as this fatal accident was known, the Cheva¬ 
 lier Vaudreuil, put himfelf in a Canow with a De¬ 
 tachment, and purfu’d this party of Iroqueje, being 
 follow’d by a hundred Canadans, and fome confe¬ 
 derate Savages. I know not by what chance he had 
 the good fortune to overtake them, but fo it was, 
 he furpriz'd them, and attack’d them with Vigour, 
 upon which they fought defperately, but at laft they 
 were defeated. This Victory coft us the lives of many 
 of our Savages, and of three or four of our Officers. 
 The Ircquefe that were taken, were carried to the Ci¬ 
 ty of Monreal, near which place they were regal’d 
 with a Salvo of Baftinadoes. 
 
 About the beginning of the Month of July, Mr. 
 Frontenac having receiv’d fome News from the 
 Commander of the Lakes, fpoke to me of a cer¬ 
 tain Projed, which I had formerly ffiown him to 
 be of great Importance: But becaufe he did notfuf- 
 ficiently confider all the advantages that might be 
 reap’d from it, and on the contrary, apprehended 
 a great many difficulties would attend the putting it 
 in execution, he had altogether negleded this Af¬ 
 fair, of which I /hall give you the following ac¬ 
 count. 
 
 I obferv’d to you in my 17 th Letter, the great Im¬ 
 portance and Advantage of the Forts of Frontenac 
 and Niagara, and that in the conjuncture of Cir* 
 cumftances wherein Mr. Denonville then found them, 
 it was impoflible to preferve them. You have alfo 
 
 remarqu’d 
 
to North- America. 181 
 
 remarqu’d the advantages which the Savages have 
 over the Eurapeans, by their way of fighting in the 
 Forrefts of this vaft Continent. Since we cannot 
 deftroy the Iroquefe with our own fingle Forces, we 
 are neceffarily oblig’d to have recourfe to the Sava¬ 
 ges that are our Allies: And ’tis certain, as they 
 themfelves forefee, that if thefe Barbarians could 
 compafsthe Deftrudion of our Colonies, they would 
 be fubdued by them fooner or later, as it has hap¬ 
 pen’d to many other Nations, fo they know it to 
 be their Intereft to joy n with us to deftroy thefe Ban¬ 
 ditti. Now fince they are well affeded to this de- 
 fign, we mud endeavour to facilitate to them the 
 means of putting it in execution, for you may ea- 
 fily believe that thefe People, as favage as they are, 
 are not fo void of Senfe, as to travel two or three 
 hundred Leagues from their own Country, to fight 
 againft their Enemies, without being fure of a 
 place of retreat, where they may repofe them¬ 
 felves, and find Provifions. There is no queuion 
 therefore, but we fhould build Forts upon the Lands 
 of the Iroquefe, and maintain them in fpite of their 
 Teeth. This, Sir, is what l propos’d above a year 
 agoe to Mr. Frcmtenac , and it is what he would have 
 me ftill to undertake. I projed therefore,™ build and 
 maintain three Forts upon the courfe of the Lakes, 
 with fome Velfels that {hall go with Oars, which 
 I will build according to my Fancy ; but they be¬ 
 ing light, and of great carriage, may be managd 
 either with Oars or a Sail, and will alfo be able to 
 bear the {hocks of the Waves. I demand fifty Seamen 
 of the French Bifcay, for they are known to be the 
 moll dexterous and able Mariners that are in the 
 World. I mud alfo have two hundred Soldiers, 
 chofen out of the Troops of Canada. I will build 
 three little Caftles in feveral places, one at the mouth 
 of the Lake Erne, which you fee in my Map of 
 Canada , under the name of Fort Suppofe, befides two 
 
 N 3 others. 
 
18 2 Some 'Hew Voyages 
 
 others. The fecond I will build in the fame place 
 where it was when I maintain’d it, in the years 
 1687, and 1688. whereof 1 have wrote to you in 
 my 14th and 1 jth Letter: and the third at the Mouth 
 of the Bay of Toronto , upon the fame Lake. Ninety 
 Men will be fufficient to Ganifon thefe three Re¬ 
 doubts, and perhaps a fmaller number ; for the Iro- 
 quefe who never faw a Canon, but in a Pi&ure, and 
 to whom an ounce of Powder is more precious than 
 a Lewis-Dor, can never be perfwaded to attack any 
 kind of Fortification. I defire of the King for put¬ 
 ting this Projeft in execution, ijooo Crowns a year, 
 for the Maintenance, Entertainment, Subfiftance, 
 and pay of thefe 2 jo Men. It will be very eafie 
 for me to tranfport with the abovemention’d Vef- 
 fels 400 Savages, into the Country of the Iroquefe, 
 whenever I have a mind. I can carry Provifionsfor 
 2000, and tranfport as many Sacks of Indian Corn, 
 as are necelfary for maintaining thefe Forts both in 
 Winter and Summer. ’Tis eafie to have plenty of 
 Hunting and Shooting in all the Ifles, and to con¬ 
 trive ways for crofling the Lakes; and it will be fo 
 much the more eafie to purfue the Iroquefe in their 
 Canows, and fink them, that my Veffels are light, 
 and my Men fight under a Cover. In fine, if you 
 faw the Memorial which I am to prefent to Mr. 
 Pontchartrain, you would find that this Enterprise 
 is the fineft and mod ufeful that can be invented, 
 to diftrefs the Iroquefe in time of War, and confine 
 them within bounds in time of Peace. Mr. Fronte- 
 vac has joyn’d to it a private Letter to Mr. Pontchar¬ 
 train, wherein he obferves to him, that if this Pro- 
 je<a were well put in execution, thefe terrible Ene¬ 
 mies would be oblig’d in two years time, to aban¬ 
 don their Country. After this he adds, that he judg¬ 
 es me fufficiently qualified to go upon fuch an In- 
 terprife; and believes I will make my point good. 
 Perhaps he might have light on others that know 
 the Country and Cuftoms of the Savages better than 
 
to North-hmmca. 1 8 ; 
 
 I do : But by an accident which do’s not tend much 
 to my advantage, I have purchas’d the Efteein and 
 Friendfhip of thefe Savages, which in my opinion 
 was the only reafon that mov’d Mr. de Frontenac to 
 fingle out me for this Service. 
 
 July the 27 th the Governour having given me his 
 Packet for the Court, and the St. Ann Frigat being 
 rigg’d and fitted out according to his Orders, I im- 
 barqu’d in the Port of Quebec, and after five days 
 failing, we met in the River of St. Laurence, over 
 againft Monts notre dame, twelve Merchantmen bound 
 from France for Quebec , under the Convoy of Mr. d 
 Iberville , Captain of the Poll. Augujl the 8 tb, we 
 got clear of the Bay of St. Laurence, by the help of 
 a Wefterly Gale, and that in fuch fair and clear Wea¬ 
 ther, that we defcry’d the Iflandsof Cape Breton and 
 Newfound- Land, as diftin&ly, as if we had been with¬ 
 in a Musket-lhot of ’em. The nine or ten follow¬ 
 ing days were fo far of a different ftamp, that we 
 could fcarce fee from the Prow to the Poop of the 
 Ship, for all of a fudden there fell the thickeft and 
 darkeft Fog that ever I faw. At the end of thefe 
 days the Horifon clearing up, we ftood in for New¬ 
 found-Land, defcrying Cape St. Mary ; and by ma¬ 
 king all the fail we could, arriv’d that very day in 
 the Port of Placentia . 
 
 In that Port I found fifty Firtiermen, molt of 
 which were of French Bifcay, and thought to have 
 fet out for France along with them in a few days: 
 But they were longer in getting ready than I thought 
 for,and when we were juft ready to break ground,we 
 were inform’d by fome Filhermen, that five large 
 Englijh Ships were come to an Anchor near Cape St. 
 Mary . This Intelligence prov’d very true, for on the 
 i ph of September they caft Anchor in fight of Placen¬ 
 tia. The 1 6th they weigh’d, and came to an An¬ 
 chor in the Road, out of the reach of our Guns. 
 Upon this the Governour was not a little perplex d,for 
 he had but fifty Soldiers in his Fort, and a very 
 
 N 4 fmall 
 
184 Some New Voyages 
 
 fmall moiety of Ammunition. Befides, the Fort 
 was commanded by a Mountain, from whence he 
 might be gall’d with Stones flung out of Slings; and 
 5 twasti> be fear’d,the Englijl 3 would poflefs themfelves 
 of that high Ground. I march’d with fixty of the 
 Seamen belonging to the Fiihermen, to prevent their 
 Landing, in cafe they attempted to make a Defcent 
 at a certain place call’d la Fontaine ; and I compafs’d 
 my end without firing a Gtin. In effect, fix or fe- 
 ven hundred Englijh put in to the Land in twenty 
 Sloops, with a defign to have landed at that place; 
 upon which my vigorous Cantabrians being full of 
 fire and forwardnefs, appear’d too foon upon the 
 Ihoar, in fpite of my Teeth, and by that means ob¬ 
 lig’d the Englijh to take another courfe,and row with 
 all their might to the back of a little Cape, where 
 they threw in a Barrel of Pitch and Tar that burnt 
 twoarpents of Thickets. The 18 th about Noon, per¬ 
 ceiving that a little Sloop put off from the Admiral 
 with a white Flag on its Prow, and made towards 
 the Forr, I run in thither immediately. The Go- 
 vernour had took care to fend out one of his own 
 Sloops with the fame Flag, to meet the other, and 
 was furpris’d when fiie return’d with two Englijh Of¬ 
 ficers on board. Thefe Officers gave the Governour 
 to underffand, that the Admiral defir’d he would 
 fend an Officer on board of him, which was done 
 accordingly ; for Mr. de Ccfie-bclle and I, went on 
 board of the Admiral, who receiv’d us with all Ref- 
 pe& and Civility, and regal’d us with Sweet-meats, 
 and feveral forts of Wines, with which we drank 
 the Healths of the Admirals of France , and England. 
 He (hew’d us his whole Ship, to the very Carriages 
 of the Guns, and then gave theSieur de Co/iebelle to 
 know, that ’cwould be a great trouble to him to be 
 oblig’d to take Placentia by the force of Arms, in re¬ 
 gard that he forefaw, fuch an Enterprife would prove 
 fatal to the Governour, to the Garrifon, and all the 
 
 Inhabi- 
 
to North America. 18 5 
 
 Inhabitants, upon the account that he would find a 
 nreat deal of difficulty in preventing the Pillaging and 
 other Diforders; That in order to avoid this Misfor¬ 
 tune, ’twould be a prudential part in the Gover- 
 nour, to come to a Gompofition. Our Officer be¬ 
 ing fully acquainted with the Governour s Mind, 
 made anfwer in his name, that he was refolv d up¬ 
 on a vigorous defence, and would rather fpring t:,e 
 place in the Air, than furrender it to the Enemies of 
 the King his Mafter. After a mutual exchange ot 
 Compliments, we took leave of him, and being rea¬ 
 dy to get into our Sloop, he told us with embraces, 
 that he was infinitely ferry he could not falute us 
 with his Guns, in the room of which he order d five 
 or fix Huzza’s, with a Long live the King. When 
 we went into the Boat, we return d him the lame 
 number of fliouts, to which he return da feventh 
 that finilh’d the Ceremony. Upon our return to 
 the Fort, Mr. de CdfiebeUe gave the Governour an ac¬ 
 count of the force of the Admirals Ship. TheSc. 
 Album (To the Ship was call’d) carried fixty fix Guns 
 mounted, and fix hundred Men Complement, but 
 the other Ships appear’d to be of lefs force. 
 
 The next day, which was the 19^, they ad vane d 
 within Canon-fliot of the Fort, where theylay bye, 
 while a Sloop row’d up to the Batteries. The Go¬ 
 vernour Cent out another Sloop to know what the 
 matter was, and was anfwer’d, that it he had a 
 mind for a Parley in the time of the Ingagement, 
 he Humid put up a red Flag for a Signal. 1 was then 
 potted at la Fontaine, to oppofe a Defcent:; tor that 
 was the only place that could be lerviceable to the 
 English, in order to mafter Placentia. The Englijh 
 ought to have confider’d, that their Cannon would 
 do no fervice againft an impenetrable Rampart, and 
 that they would lofe their labour in (hooting againit 
 Flints and Earth. But it feems, they were oblig d 
 by exprefs Orders from the Prince of Orange , to do 
 

 lU 
 
 Some Neu> Voyages 
 
 it, and at the fame time to expofe themfelves to the 0 
 danger of being funk, which had certainly been p 
 effected, if we had had Powder and Ball enough , ptf 
 for the Canonading lafted almoft five hours. 
 
 The 2.otb a French Pilot who was Prifoner on 
 board of the Admiral, made his efcape by throw¬ 
 ing himfelf into the Sea in the Night-time. He 
 landed at the place where I lay in Ambufcade; and 
 after he had given me an account of what pafs’d — 
 in the Fleet, I fent him to the Governour’s Houfe. 
 
 He inform’d me, that they had defign’d a Defcent 
 with feven or eight hundred Men, but alter’d their 
 Refolution, upon the apprehenfion, that there were 
 fourteen or fifteen hundred Seamen ready to oppofe 
 them; that they were of the opinion, thatmyfixty ate 
 
 Bifcayans who difcover’d themfelves upon the (hoar j & 
 
 at la Fontaine, in fpite of all I could do, had no o- fm 
 
 ther view but to draw ’em into an Ambufcade, by ^ 
 
 tempting’em to come up. The 21/theyfet fail ^ 
 
 with a North-Eaft Gale, after having burnt all the 
 Houfes at Pointe Verte , where the Governour had 
 fent a Detachment by way of Precaution that fame 
 very day ; but the ways were fo impracticable, that ; * 
 
 the Detachment could not get there in time to op- An 
 
 pofe the Enemy. This one may juftly fay, that #r 
 
 if it had not been for the Captains of the Bifcaj 1 
 
 Ships that were then at Placentia, that place had un- .< ] 
 
 doubtedly fallen into the hands of the Englijh : And :» 
 
 this I can convince you of, when you and I meet. .a t 
 
 In this bloody Expedition, the Englijh loft fix Men ; ;Jj 
 
 and on our fide the Sieur Boat, Lieutenant of a sp 
 
 Nantes Veffel, had his Arm {hot off. In fine, the tlii 
 
 Englijh did all that Men could do, fo that nothing in 
 
 can be faid againft their ConduCf. iha 
 
 October the 6th, I took {hipping in purfuit of my u 
 Voyage to France, being accompany’d with feveral ai 
 other Veftels. The Wefterly Winds were fo favou- | 
 
 rable to us in our paffage, that we came to an An- & 
 
 chor 
 
to Horth America, 187 
 
 chor on the 23^ at St. Nazere, which lies but eight 
 or nine Leagues for this place. I am to fet out 
 immediately for VerjaiUes ; in the mean time, I am, 
 
 SIR , 
 
 Tours, 8cc. 
 
 LETTER XXIV. 
 
 Dated at Nantes May 10. 1693. 
 
 Containing an Account of Mr . Frontenac s Pro - 
 jett, which was rejetted at Court, and the rea- 
 fon why it was rejetted. The King gives the 
 Author the Lieutenancy of the Ifle of New¬ 
 found-Land, &c. together with a free Inde w 
 pendant Company. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 T Am now once more at Nantes, from whence I 
 X wrote to you in Otlober laft. I am now return d 
 from Court, where 1 prefented to Mr. P rntchar- 
 train Mr. Frontenac s Letters, and the Memorial I 
 r mention’d in my laft. I was anfwer’d, that it would 
 J not be proper to execute the Project I propos’d, be- 
 l caufe the forty Seamen which were neceffary for 
 [1 my purpofe, could not now be allow d me, and 
 h befides the King had given Orders to Mr. Frontenac, 
 tt to make Peace with the Iroquefe upon any terms 
 whatfoever. This Inconveniency alfo was found 
 j, to attend the Projedt, that after the Forts which f 
 fi j intended to build upon the Lakes were intirely n • 
 nifti’d* the Savages that are our Friends and Con- 
 
 federates, would rather feek after Glory, by making 
 
 War 
 
 t 
 

 z 8 8 Some New Fopges 
 
 War upon the Iroquefe, than take pleafure in Hunt¬ 
 ing the Beavers, which would be a confiderable da¬ 
 mage to the Colonies of Canada, that fubfift only as 
 one may fay, by the trade of Skins, as I lhall Ihew 
 you more particularly in a proper place. The En¬ 
 glish will by no means take it ill, that we do not 
 build thefe Forts, for befides that, they are too 
 much concern’d for the prefervation of the Iroqueft, 
 they will always be ready to furnifh with Merchan¬ 
 dize the Savage Nations, that are our Allies, as 
 they have done hitherto. I muft own my felf migh¬ 
 tily oblig’d to the Engli[h, who attack’d us at Placen¬ 
 tia the laft year; they declar’d publickly, though 
 without any juft ground, after they arriv’d in Eng¬ 
 land , that they would infallibly have taken that 
 place, if I had not oppos’d their Defcent. I have 
 already inform’d you, that I did not at all hinder 
 them from Landing at the place where I was pott¬ 
 ed with fixty Bifcayan Seamen : So that they attri¬ 
 bute to me a glorious Atftion, in which I had no 
 fhare, and by that means have done me fo much 
 Honour, that his Majefty hath bellow’d upon me the 
 Lieutenancy of the Ifle of Newfound-Land and Acadia , 
 which I never deferv’d upon that fcore. Thus you 
 fee, Sir, that many times fuch Perfons are preferr’d, 
 who have no other Patrons in the World, but pure 
 Chance. However, I fhould have been better pleas’d, 
 if I could have put the abovemention’d Projeft in 
 execution, for a folitary Life is moft grateful to me, 
 and the manners of the Savages are perfectly agree¬ 
 able to my Palate. The corruption of our Age is 
 fo great, that it feems the Europeans have made a 
 Law, to tear one another in pieces by cruel Ufage 
 and Reproaches, and therefore you muft not think 
 it ftrange, if I have a kindnefs for the poor Ameri¬ 
 cans, who have done me fo many favours. I am 
 to fet out the next day after to Morroty, from this 
 
 ftt 
 
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 cfll 
 
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 S' 
 
 tat 
 
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 la 
 
 at 
 
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 ay 
 
 it 
 
 mt 
 
 tier 
 
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 titt 
 
 theii 
 
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 k 
 
 iliv 
 
 turn 
 
 ag 
 
 Stiff 
 
 in 
 
 Sics’ 
 
 its 
 
 at 
 
 iS 
 
 pol 
 
 tit 
 
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 $ 
 
 it 
 
to North America. *89 
 
 place in order to embark at St. Nasere. The MeJ- 
 (ieurs > d’Angui, two Nantes Merchants, have taken 
 upon them to maintain the Garrifon of Placentia^ 
 upon condition of certain Grants made by the Court, 
 who furnifhes them with a Ship, wherein I am to 
 have my Paffage. Pray fend me your News by 
 fome Ships of S. John de Lus, which are to fail 
 from this place within two Months, in order to 
 truck with the Inhabitants of Placentia. 
 
 1 cannot conclude this Letter, without giving you 
 fome account of a Difpute I had very lately at my 
 Inn, with a Portuguese Phyfician, who had made 
 many Voyages to Angola , Bresil, and Goa. He 
 maintain’d, that the People of the Continent ot A- 
 mertca, Afia , and Africa, were defcended from three 
 different Fathers, which he thus attempted to prove. 
 The Americans differ from the AJtatics, for they have 
 neither Hair nor Beard ; the features of their Face, 
 their colour and their cufloms are different; betides 
 that, they know neither meum nor tuum, but have all 
 things in common, without making any property ot 
 Goods, which is quite contrary to the AJiatic way 
 of living. He added, that America was fo fardiflant 
 from the other parts of the World, that no body can 
 imagine, how a Voyage fhould be made into this 
 New Continent, before the ufe of the Compafs was 
 found out; That the Africans being black and flat 
 Nos’d, had fuch monflrous thick Ups, fuch a flat 
 Face, fuch foft woolly Hair on their Head, and were 
 in their Conftitution, Manners, and Temper, fo 
 different from the Americans , that he thought it im- 
 poffible, that thefe two forts of People Ihould de¬ 
 rive their Original from Adam , whom this Phyfici¬ 
 an would have to refemble a Turk or a Perjian in his 
 Air and Figure. I anfwer’d him prefently, that fup- 
 poflng the Scripture did not give convincing evi¬ 
 dence, that all Men in general are defcended from 
 one firft Father, yet his reafoning would not befui- 
 
 ficier* 
 
i po Some ISlew Voyages 
 
 ficient to prove the contrary, fince the difference ' 
 that is found between the People of America and " 
 Africa, proceeds from no other caufe but the diffe. * 
 rent qualities of the Air and Climat in thefe two 
 Continents: That this appears plainly to be true, 
 becaufea Negro Man and Woman, or a Savage Man ‘ 
 and Woman, being tranfplanted into Europe, will s ' 
 produce fuch Children there, who in four or five " 
 Generations, will infallibly be as white, as the mod 3 
 ancient Europeans. The Phyfician deny’d this mat- : 
 ter of Fad, and maintain’d, that the Children des¬ 
 cended from this Negro Man or Woman, would be : 
 born there as black as they are in Guinea ; but that 2 
 afterwards the Rays of the Sun being more oblique : 
 and lefs Scorching than in Africa, thefe Infants 
 would not have that black fliining Luftre, which is ? 
 fo eafily diftinguilhed upon the Skin of fuch Negroes :i 
 as are brought up in their own Country. To con- 21 
 firm his Hypothecs, he affur’d me, that he had feen - 
 many Negroes at Lisbon, as black as in Africa , tho’ F 
 their Great Grandfather’s Grandfather had been tranf- 11 
 planted into Portugal many years agee. He added : 
 aifo, that thofe who were defeended from the Portu- • 
 gueze, that dwelt at Angola, Cape Vert, &c. about a ’ 
 hundred years agoe, are fo little tawn’d, that *tis : 
 impoflible todiftinguilh them from the Natives of 
 Portugal: He further confirm’d his way of reafon- 
 ing, from an unconteftable matter of fad, for, fays 
 he, if the Rays of the Sun were the caufe of the • 
 blacknefs of the Negroes, from hence it would fol¬ 
 low, that the Brazilians being fituate in the fame 
 degree from the Equator with the Africans, fhould 
 be as black as they are; but fo they are not, for 
 ’cis certain their Skin appears to be as clear as that of : 
 the Portuguefe. But this was not all, he maintain’d 
 farther, that thefe who are defeended from the firft 
 Savages of Brazil, that were tranfported into Portu¬ 
 gal, above an Age agoe, have as little Hair and 
 
 Beard 
 
to North America, 191 
 
 Beard as their Anceftors, and on the contrary, thofe 
 who are defcended from the firft Portuguese, who 
 peopl’d the Colonies of Brasil, are as hairy, and 
 have as great Beards, as it they had been born in 
 Portugal. But after all, continued he, though all that 
 I have faid is abfolutely true, yet there are fome 
 People, who rafhly maintain, that the Children of 
 the Africans and Americans, will by degrees degene¬ 
 rate in Europe. This may happen to thofe whofe 
 Mothers receive the imbraces of Europeans, which is 
 the reafon why we fee fo many Mulatto's in the 
 Iflesof America, in Spain, and in Portugal'. Whereas 
 if thefe Women had been as clofely kept u in Eu¬ 
 rope, as the Portuguese Women are in Africa and A- 
 merica, the Children of the Brafilians would no more 
 degenerate than thofe of the Portuguese. Such Sir, 
 was the reafoning of this Do<ftor, who hits the 
 matter pretty juftly towards the end of his Dif- 
 courfe; but his Principle is moft falfe, and mod ab~ 
 furd, for no Man can doubt, unlefs he be void of 
 Faith, good Senfe and Judgment, but that Adam was 
 the only Father of all Mankind. ’Tis certain, that 
 the Savages of Canada, and all the other People of 
 America, have not naturally either Hair or Beard ; 
 that the features of their Face, and their colour ap¬ 
 proaching to an Olive, Ihow a vaft difference be¬ 
 tween them and the Europeans. What is the caufe 
 of thefe things I know not, and yet I cannot be¬ 
 lieve them to be the effeft of their Air and Food. 
 For at that rate, thofe who are defcended from the 
 French, that firft fetled in Canada near a hundred 
 years agoe, and for the moft part run up and down 
 in the Woods, and live like the Savages, ihould have 
 neither Beard nor Hair, but degenerate alfo by de¬ 
 grees into Savages, which yet never happens. Af¬ 
 ter this Phyfician had alledg’d all thefe Reafons, he 
 digrefs’d from this Subjedl, and having a mind to dif- 
 
 cover his extravagant Options, ask’d 
 
 me what I 
 thought 
 
 1 
 
 - t 
 
 l 
 
 
 Vj 
 
 
 
 
 
 L 
 
thought of the Salvation of fo many Americans, to I 
 whom in all probability theGofpel wasnever preach’d, i 
 You may very well believe, that I made no fcruple i 
 to condemn them by wholefale to Eternal Fire, I 
 which he took very ill. * How can you, faid he, 1 
 ‘ condemn thefe poor People with fo much affu- 1 
 { ranee: ’Tis probable that their firft Father,having r 
 1 never finn’d as our Adam did, had a good Soul, 
 
 * and an upright Heart, fince his Pofterity do ex- jl 
 
 * aAly obferve the Law of natural Equity, whichis t 
 
 * exprefs’d in Latine in thefe well known words, « 
 
 * Alters ne feceris quod tibi fieri non vis ; and allow no 
 
 * property of Goods, nor any Diftin&ion or Sub- j 
 
 * ordination among them, but live as Brethren, with- 
 
 * out Difputcs, without Suits, without Laws, and 
 
 * without Malice. But fuppofing, added he, that 
 
 * they were originally defeended from Adam, we 
 
 * ought not to believe, that they are damn’d for their 
 
 ‘ ignorance of the Chrillian Dodtrine, for who can - 
 ( tell but God may impute to them the Merits of 
 
 * Chrill’s Blood, by ways fecret and incomprehen- 
 
 * fible to us j and befides, ( fuppofing that Man has 
 
 * a Free Will) his Divine Majeliy without doubt 
 
 * will have a greater regard to his moral A&ions, . 
 ‘ than to his Worfhip and Belief. The want of 
 
 ‘ Knowledge, continued he, is an Unhappinefs, but 
 
 * not a Crime, and who can tell but God has a mind 
 
 * to be honour’d by infinite ways of paying him 
 ‘ Homage and Refpedf, as by Sacrifices, Dances, 
 
 * Songs, and the other Ceremonies of the Americans ? 
 He had fcarce made an end of his Difcourfe, when 
 I fell foul upon him with all my might, as to the 
 preceding Points; but after I had given him to un- 
 derfland, that if among the multi vocati, i. e. thofe 
 who profefs the true Religion, who are but a hand¬ 
 ful of Men, there are found but Pauc't elefti, all the 
 Americans mull be in a very deplorable condition: 
 He anfwer’d me impudently, that I was very ralh 
 
 to 
 
to North- America. 19 $ 
 
 to determine who {hould be in the number of the 
 Reprobate at the laft Judgment, and to condemn 
 them without giving any Quarter; for, fays he, 
 this is to inlulc the Wifdom of God, and to make 
 him deal as capricioudy by his Creatures, as St. 
 Paul's Potter did by his two Veffels. Neverthelefs, 
 when he faw that I treated him like an impious, 
 unbelieving Wretch, he to be even with me, re- 
 ply’d in thefe foolifh words, Fidem ego hie qua adhibe- 
 tur Myfteriis facris interpeiio , fed fidem illam qua hona 
 mentis foror eft, quaq; rellam rationem amat. From 
 hence you may judge, Sir, whether this fine Phyfi- 
 cian was able to remove Mountains. I am, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 Tours, &C. 
 
 LETTER XXV. 
 
 Dated at Vianet in Portugal January 31. 1694. 
 
 The Author’s departure from France for Placen¬ 
 tia. A Fleet of 30 Englilh Ships came to feize 
 upon that place ; hut is difappointed, and ffeers 
 off. The Reafons why the Englilh have had 
 fuccefs in all their Enterprifes heyond Sea. The 
 Authors Adventure with theGoverncurof Pla¬ 
 centia. His departure for Portugal. An En¬ 
 gagement with a Fluffing Privateer. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I Do not at all doubt but you will be fenfibly affe< 2 - 
 ed with my fad and fatal Mifadventure, which 
 I am now to give you an account of. And hrlt 
 0 * o you 
 
i<j4 Some New Voyages 
 
 you muft know, that after we had waited for a 
 fair Wind fifteen or twenty days at St. Nazere, we 
 fet fail on the 1 ith of May laft. Our Paflage was 
 neither long nor fhort, for we arriv’d at the Har¬ 
 bour of Placentia the 20th of June , having taken an 
 Englijh Ship laden with Tobacco, cn the edges of 
 the Bank of Newfound Land. After I landed, I 
 went to falute Mr. Brcuillon, Governor of Placentia, 
 and declar’d to him how glad I was to obey the 
 Orders of fo wife a Commander. He anfwer’d, 
 that he was much furpriz’d to find, that I had fol- 
 licited to be employ’d there, without acquainting 
 him with it the preceding year; and that he now 
 plainly perceiv’d, that the Projeft about the Lakes 
 of Canada, ( which 1 had mention’d to him ) was a 
 mere Iham pretence. 1 endeavour’d in vain to per- 
 fwade him to the contrary ; for it was not poflible 
 for me to undeceive him. Neverthelefs, I landed 
 my Goods, and hir’d a private Houfe, till fuch time v 
 as I could build one for my felf, which I carried 
 on with fo much diligence, that it was finilh’d in '• 
 September, by the a ffi fiance of the Ship-Carpenters, 
 who were lent me gratis, by all the Bifcay Captains. 
 
 The Sieur Beray of St. John de Luz arriv’d at Pla- . 
 centia on the i8tb of July, with one of his Ships, 
 and brought me a Letter, wherein you acquaint 
 me, that in regard your Nephew defires to vifit 
 Canada the next year,you would be very glad to have 
 a Dictionary of the Language of the Savages, to¬ 
 gether with the Memoirs which I promis’d you. 
 
 On the 1 6th of September we perceiv’d an Englijh 
 Fleet of twenty four Sail, which call Anchor in 
 the Road much about the time that it was difeo- 
 ver’d. it was commanded by Sir Frances Wheeler, 
 who had gone to Martinico with a defign to feize 
 that I fie, and in his return from thence had fell’d 
 to New-England, to take in feme Forces and Am¬ 
 munition mere, in order ro make himfeif Mafier 
 
 of 
 
to North America. 
 
 *95 
 
 of Placentia ; but when he difcover’d a Redoubt of 
 Stone lately built upon the top of the Mountain, 
 which I mention’d to you in my laft Letter butorffe, 
 he thought it more advifable to return quietly into 
 Europe, than to make a fruitlefs Attempt. We had 
 planted four Canon upon this high Redoubt, whic.i 
 fo gaul’d the Ships of his Fleer, that they were forc’d 
 to weigh Anchor, and hoift Sail fooner than they 
 intended. The fault of the English upon this occa- 
 fion, was, that they did not enter the Harbour the 
 fame day that they appear’d before the place. I 
 have obferv’d it many times, that Attempts do com* 
 monly mifcarry, by delaying them for a little while j 
 and of this t could give you at lealt fifteen or fix- 
 teen Inftances within the compals of my own 
 Knowledge. But now I return to the Quarrel the 
 Governour had with me. 
 
 Fancying that I had follicited my Employments 
 without taking notice of him, he treated me with 
 all manner of Reproaches and Outrages, from the 
 time of my Landing, to that of my Departure, and 
 was not fatisfy’d with appropriating to himfelf the 
 Profits and Advantages of the free Company that 
 was given me, but likewife dop’d without any fcru- 
 ple, the pay of the Soldiers that were employ’d in 
 the Cod-fifhing by the Inhabitants, and made the 
 reft work without Wages. I (hall take no notice of his 
 publick Extortion ; for tho’ he has formally counter¬ 
 acted the ten Articles contain’d in the Orders of Lewis 
 the ioth, yet he had fo many Friends in all the 
 Courts, that he could not be found guilty i There’s 
 fome pleafure in making Prefents in his way, for 
 by them he has made yoooo Crowns per fas & ne- 
 fas, inthefpaceof three or four years. I fhould 
 never have done, if I offer’d to give you a particu¬ 
 lar account of all the trouble and vexation he gave 
 me. I (hall only mention three Inftances which 
 clown’d all the reft, 
 
 O i 
 
 
\y 6 Some New Voyages 
 
 On the icth of Nevemb;r , 1 .1. a Month after our 
 Fifhermen fet fail, while I was entertaining at Sup, 
 per fome of the Inhabitants, he came Mask’d into 
 my Houfe, with his Servants, and broke the glafs 
 Windows, Bottles, and Drinking Giaffes, and threw 
 down the Tables, Chairs, .Jidis of Drawets, and 
 every thing that came to hand. Before 1 had time 
 to get into my Chamber, and take my Piftols, this 
 info'.ent Mob difappear’d very feafonably; for I 
 would have loaded my Piftols and purfu d them, if 
 my Guefts had net hindred me. Next Morning his 
 Servants fell upon mine, who expedted nothing lefs 
 than to be threlh’d to death with Clubs. This fe- 
 cond infult having provok’d my Patience to the 
 laft degree, I was meditating fome Revenge upon 
 thefe Alfa (Tins, when the Recollets came and remon- 
 ftrated to me, that I muft diffemble my Refcntment,. 
 to prevent any Innovation in the King’s Affairs. 
 Then 1 refolv’d to fhut my felf up, and apply my 
 felf to Study, to divert the vexatious Thoughts, of 
 not being able to pull off my Mask. The third 
 trick which he play 'd me, at the end of three days, 
 was this; he fent to arrelt two Soldiers, whom I had 
 
 imploy’d to cut down fome Grafs in the Meadows, 
 about half a League from the Garrifon: They were 
 feiz’d while they were Mowing, bound and carried 
 away Prifoners, under the pretence of being De- 
 ferters, becaufe they had lain two Nights out of the 
 Garrifon, without his leave ; and, which would have 
 prov’d yet more fatal to thefe innocent Men, he had 
 certainly caus’d ’em to be knock’d on the Head, on 
 purpofe to vex me, if the Recollets, and his own Mif- 
 fse, had not earneftly interceded on their behalf. 
 
 After this Accident, the Recollets ad vifed me to go 
 andfeehim,and to entreat him to put an end to all his 
 Perfecutions,afluring him at the fame time,that I was 
 entirely his Servant and Friend. Durus eft hie Jermo. 
 Whatever relutftancy I had to yield to an advice fo 
 
 con- 
 
 1 
 
to North America.. \yj 
 
 contrary to nature, which, I mull confefs, ftrug- 
 gled furioufly within me, yet ] offer’d fo much vi¬ 
 olence to my felf, that 1 fubmitted to it. I was at 
 his Houfe, went into his Chamber, and being with 
 him all alone, I fpoke to him for a quarter of an 
 hour in the molt iiibmifltve Terms, that any Slave 
 could ufe. I am alham’d to make this ConfeHion 
 to you, for I blulh to my felf every time I think of 
 fo mean a fubmiffion. However, inftead of his 
 liftening to my Reafons, and treating friendly with 
 me, he fell into a molt furious Paflion, and loaded 
 me with a torrent of moll bitter Reproaches. In 
 this cafe, Sir, I preferr’d the Service of the King, 
 before the Punctilio’s of Honour, for I did nothing 
 but retir’d to my own Houfe,being well fatisfy’d that 
 I was not affaflinated by his Domefticks: But the 
 diforder which this Affair produc’d, would require 
 a long Difcourfe. It will be more to the purpofe, 
 to come to matter of FaCt; I do affure you, that 
 he would have laid me up, if the Inhabitants had 
 appear’d to be in his Intereft. He pretended that 
 he had been infulted, and confequently that he was 
 in the right in revenging himfelf, whatever it cod 
 him. But the tragical end of a Governour, whofe 
 Throat was cut in this Country about thirty or for¬ 
 ty years agoe, furnifh’d him with abundant matter 
 of Reflexion. He judg’d it therefore his fa felf way 
 to diffemble his Anger, being perfwaded, that if I 
 Ihould have run him through with my Sword, the 
 Soldiers and Inhabitants would have favour’d my 
 efcape to the Englijh, in the neighbourhood of Pla¬ 
 centia. In the mean time the Recollets, who had a 
 mind to compofe thefe growing Differences, found 
 no great trouble in reconciling us, for they Renaon- 
 llrated to him, of what confequence it would be 
 for us to live in a good Gorrefpondence,and to avoid 
 the troubles that would enfue upon our quarrels. 
 This propofal of an Accommodation, was in ap- 
 
 O z. pe,'.ranee 
 
*ipg Some New Voyages 
 
 pearance mod agreeable to him, and fo much the 
 rather, becaufe he was glad to diffemble his Rcfcnt. 
 ments by the external ligns of Friendfhip. So we 
 faw and embrac’d one another with mutual Pro¬ 
 tections of forgetting all that had pafs’d be¬ 
 tween us. 
 
 After this Reconciliation, I had reafon to believe, 
 that his Heart would not give the lye to his Mouth, 
 becaufe I thought he was not fo imprudent as to in¬ 
 form the Court of fome Trifles, wherein he would 
 appear to have proftituted his Honour; but I was 
 deceiv’d, for he took the pains to add afterwards to 
 the Vet bal Procefs he had given in before our Ac¬ 
 commodation, fome talfhoods which he ought to 
 have conceal’d ’Tis needlefs to acquaint you, how 
 by chance his Papers fell into my Hands; that In- 
 diferetion might prove a difadvantage to fome Per- 
 fons, whom Heaven blefs I fliall only tell you, 
 that after the Recollets had feen and read the Alle¬ 
 gations contain'd in his Papers, they made no feru- 
 ple to advife me to take care of my felf, and inge- 
 nuoufly declar’d to me, that they never intended to 
 meddle any more in that Affair, becaufe they per¬ 
 ceiv’d that they had innocently contributed to do 
 me a prejudice, by reftoring peace between him and 
 me. This wholfom advice made me perceive the 
 ganger to which I fhould be expos’d, if I continued 
 any longer at Placentia , infomuch, that the fear I 
 had of being fent to the Bafiile, afrer the arrival of 
 the Ships from France , made me refolve to abandon 
 all hopes of making my fortune here, and to throw 
 up my Places. After the Inhabitants were acquaint¬ 
 ed with this News, all of ’em except three or four, 
 came running to my Houfe, to affure me they 
 were ready to flgn my Verbal Procefs, in cafe I 
 would change my Resolution : But inftead of ac¬ 
 cepting their offer, I gave them to underftand, ha¬ 
 ving thank’d them firflt for their Good-will, that 
 
 they 
 
to Nor f/> Am erica. 199 
 
 they would bring Mifchief upon themfelves, and 
 be look’d upon at Court as Seditious Perfons, 
 and Difturbers of the publick Peace; fince by 
 a deteftable principle of Politicks, an inferior 
 Perfon is always judg’d to be in the wrong , 
 whateverreafon he may have on his fide. Indeed 1 
 would gladly have avoided this fatal neceffity of 
 throwing up my Places, which feem d infenfibly to 
 lead me to fome great Fortune; but at laft the con¬ 
 finement in the Baflile , made fucb a deep impreflion 
 upon my Mind, after I had ferioufly reflected upon 
 the troublefom Circumftances of my Affairs, that 
 I made no fcruple to embark in a little Veuel, 
 which was the only one, and the laft that was to 
 go to Frame. The Propofal I made to the Captain 
 of prefenting him with a 1000 Crowns, was fo 
 well receiv’d, that he engag’d to land me upon the 
 Coaftof Portugal for that Sum, upon condition that 
 I fhould keep the Secret. The beft of the matter 
 was, that my Enemy had ufed the precaution of 
 writing to the Governors of Belle llle, ot the Jfle of 
 Re, and of Rochelle , to feize me as foon as I fhould 
 land. He reckon’d, and not without reafon indeed, 
 that this Veffel would put into one of thefe three 
 Ports: But three hundred Piftoles, dexteroufly con¬ 
 vey’d to the hands ot fome People that are not much 
 accuftom’d to finger Gold, have a wonderful effedt; 
 for that very Sum, which indeed I was loth to part 
 with, fav’d me my Liberty, and perhaps my Life. 
 
 Purfuant to this Refolution, 1 imbarqu d the 14*6 
 of the laft Month, notwithftanding the nfque that 
 one runs by failing in the Winter time, through 
 fuch a Sea as lies between Newfound-Land and France, 
 ’Tis needlefs to inform you, that 1 left Placentia * 
 great deal of Houlhold Furniture, which I could 
 neither fell nor carry off. Twill be more e uy-» 
 ing for you to hear the Journal of our Voyage. e 
 incounter’d three terrible Storms in our 1 allage, 
 
 O 4 without 
 
200 
 
 Some “New Voyages 
 
 without any damage; and in the laft of thefe, which 
 lafted three days, the Wind at North-Weft, we J 
 run a hundred and fifty Leagues without any Sail. j 
 This laft Storm was fo violent, that the Seamen im- s 
 brac'd, and bid an eternal adieu to one another; t 
 for every Minute they expeded to be funk without 
 relief. As this Storm alarm’d us, fo the contrary 
 Winds from the Eaft and North- Eaft, that fprung a 
 upon us a hundred Leagues to the Weftward of Cape 
 Fixi/terre , occafion’d an equal dread ; for we were 
 oblig’d to traverfe the Sea for three or four and twen¬ 
 ty days, after which we defcry’d the Cape by ver- 
 tue of our frequent tackings, and by a ftrange ac¬ 
 cident, were attack’d by a Fluftiing Privateer, which 
 could not board us, becaufe the Sea roll’d fo high, 
 but contented her felf with firing upon us, and that 
 with fo little effed, that we did not lofe one Man. 
 
 Our Mads and Rigging indeed was fo dammag’d, 
 that after we were parted from the Privateer, by 
 the help of the Night and a great Fog, we could 
 fcarce make ufe of our Sails. However, we refit¬ 
 ted with all poflible diligence, and the Captain of 
 the Ship having then a fair pretence to laft out of 
 the dired courfe flood to the South-Eaft in the 
 Night-time. This -feign’d courfe did not fecure 
 us from the Privateer, which might happen to 
 fteer the fame courfe; fo that in the Night-time 
 we puc our felves in a readinefs to renew the 
 fight in the Day-time. In effed, he did not pur* 
 fue us, as we apprehended : But about Noon we 
 efcap’d yet more narrowly, for we were purfu’d by 
 a Sallyman in fight of the Coaft for four hours, and 
 were within a hairs breadth of being taken, before 
 we got under the Canon of the Fort of this City. 
 Had we been catch’d, the Governour of Placentia 
 would have had fome ground for the joyful Excla¬ 
 mation, Incidit in Sdllam , &c. But thank God we were 
 only frighted, , , 
 
 As 
 
to Nbrt 6 -America. 201 
 
 As foon as we came to an Anchor, I paid down 
 tny 1000 Crowns to the Captain, who has reafon 
 to look upon this A&ion, as one of the belt he 
 ever did in his Life-time. The Long-boat was 
 no fooner in the Water, than I went aflioar 
 with all my Baggage ; and as foon as I came into 
 this City, I procur’d Ammunition and Provifions 
 for the Ship with that Expedition, that the Cap¬ 
 tain weigh’d Anchor the very next day, and fo con¬ 
 tinu’d his courfe to France. 
 
 As for the Memoirs of the Country of Canada, 
 which you have fo oftendefir’d, I haveaddrefs d em 
 to the Rocbel Merchant, who convey’d your Letters 
 to me all the while I was in Canada. To thefe I 
 have tack’d a fmall Catalogue of the tnoft neceffary 
 words of the Mgonkin Language; which, as I have 
 often told you, is the fineft and the moft umvcrial 
 Language in that Continent. If your Nephew conti¬ 
 nues his defign of undertaking a Voyage to that Coun¬ 
 try, 1 would advife him to learn thefe words in the 
 time of his Palfage, thatfo he may be able to flay 
 five or fix Months with the Algonkins, and under- 
 ftand what they fay. I have likewife fent you an 
 explication of the Sea-Terms, made ufe of in my 
 Letters. The making of this little Table, was a di- 
 verfion to me in my Voyage; for in perufing my 
 Letters, I drew out fome remarks which I defign to 
 impart to you, if I find that the infuing Memoirs 
 
 give you fatisfa&ion. , 
 
 You will readily guels, that from the year 168;, 
 to this very day, I have renounc d all manner of 
 ties to my Country. The curious Adventures that 
 I have related to you in Writing fince that time, 
 will undoubtedly afford an agreeable diverfion to 
 your Friends; provided they are not of the number 
 of thofe unfufferable Devotees, who would rather 
 be crucifi d than fee an Ecclefiaftick expos d.^ Bray 
 be fo kind as to write to me to Lisbon, and inform 
 
202 Some New Voyages 
 
 me of what you hear, in reference to my concern. 
 You have fuch good Correfpondents at Paris, that 
 you cannot mifs of knowing how things go. I 
 doubt not but my Adverfary feeds himfelf with the 
 hopes, that his uiual Prefents would procure the ap- f 
 prehending of me in France , where he thinks I would 
 be the fool to land : But now to be fure he’ll’fret * 
 his Heart out, for that he cannot gall me to his 
 Willies. However, Yis as much his intereft to fol- 
 licit my Death, ( purfuant to his unjuft Charge a- 
 gainft me ) as ’tis my Glory to procure him a long J 
 Life. Upon this foot. Sir, the longer he lives, the ^ 
 more revenge I fljall have; and confequently I fhall 
 have an opportunity of an eafie folace for the lofs ai 
 of my Places, and the Dilgrace I have met with ]n 
 
 from the King. I am, *, 
 
 SiR > i 
 
 Tours, 8CC« l31 ) 
 
 lit! 
 fan 
 
 :4 
 
 i Em 
 tlf 
 u 
 ith 
 si 
 
 .... . " ■ , - .. « . . . 
 
 JOT 
 
 A 
 
 kri 
 
 * 
 
 - < V.i ; 1 W " -i. < ’ ' ' J 
 
 55 . 
 
 it 
 tt 
 
 Memoirs 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 O F 
 
 North -America ; 
 
 Containing a Geographical Defcription of that 
 vafl Continent; the Cujloms and Commerce , of 
 the Inhabitants , &c. 
 
 S I R, 
 
 I N my former Letters, I prefented you with a 
 view of the English and French Colonies, the 
 Commerce of Canada, the Navigation upon theRi- 
 vers and Lakes of that Country, thecourfe of failing 
 from Europe to North-America , the feveral Attempts 
 made by the Englijli to mafter the French Colonies, 
 the Incurfions of the French upon New -England, and 
 upon the Irocjuefe Country: In a word. Sir, 1 have 
 reveal’d a great many things, that for realons of 
 State or Politicks, have been hitherto conceal’d; in- 
 fomuch, that if you were capable of making me 
 a Sacrifice to your Refentment, ’tis now in your 
 power to ruine me at Court, by producing my 
 fetters. 
 
 All that I writ in the foregoing Letters, and the 
 whole fubftance of the Memoirs 1 now fend you, 
 is truth as plain as the Sun-lhine. I flatter no Man, 
 and I {pare no body. 1 fcorn to be partial; I bellow 
 due praife upon thole who are in no capacity to ferve 
 * me f 
 
204 
 
 Some “New Voyages 
 
 me, and I cenfure the Condud of others, that are : 
 capable of doing me an injury by indired Methods. 
 
 I am not influenc’d by that principle of Intereft j 
 and Party.making, that is the rule of fome folks 
 words. I facrifice all to the lore of Truth, and 
 write with no other view, than to give you a juft 
 Reprefentation of things as they are. ’Tis beneath 
 me to mince or alter the matter of fad, contain’d 
 either in the Letters I fent you fome ten or twelve 
 years agoe, or in thefe Memoirs. In the courfe of 
 my Voyages and Travels, I took care to keep parti¬ 
 cular Journals of every thing ; but a minute relati¬ 
 on of all Particulars, would be irkfom to you, be¬ 
 sides, that the trouble of taking a copy of the Jour¬ 
 nals, before I have an opportunity of fhewing you 
 the Original, would require more time than I can 
 well fpare. In thefe Memoirs you’ll find as much 
 as will ferve to form a perfed Idea of the vaft Con¬ 
 tinent of Noi'th-^f merica. In the courfe of our Cor- 
 refpondence from the year 1685, to this time, I fent 
 you five and twenty Letters, of all which I have 
 kept a double very carefully. My only view in wri¬ 
 ting of thefe Letters, was to inform you of the moft 
 eiTential things; for I was unwilling to perplex and 
 confound your Thoughts, with an infinity of un¬ 
 common things, that have happen’d in that Coun¬ 
 try. If you’ll confult my Maps, as you read the 
 abovemention’d Letters, you’ll find a juft Reprefen¬ 
 tation of all the places I have fpoke of. Thefe Maps 
 are very particular, and I dare allure you, they are 
 the corredeft yet extant. My Voyage upon the Long 
 River, gave me an opportunity of making that lit¬ 
 tle Map, which I fent you from Mijjilmakmac in 
 1699, with my fixteenth Letter. ’Tis true, it gives 
 only a bare Defcription of that River, and the Ri¬ 
 ver of the MiJJouris: But it requir’d more time than 
 I could fpare, to make it more compleat, by a 
 knowledge of the adjacent Countries, which have 
 
 hitherto 
 
 
to North- America. 205 
 
 hitherto been unknown to all the World, as well as 
 that great River, and which I would never have vi- 
 ftted, if I had not been fully inffruded in every thing 
 that related to it, and convoy’d by a good Guard, I 
 have plac'd the Map of Canada at the front of thefe 
 Memoirs, and defire that favour of you, that you 
 would not ihew it to any body under my Name. 
 To the latter parti have fubjoyn’d an Explication 
 of the Marine, and other difficult Terms, made ufe 
 of in my Letters, as well as in thefe Memoirs; which 
 you’ll pleafe to conlult, when you meet with a 
 word that you do not underhand. 
 
 A fiort Defcription of Canada. 
 
 You’ll think, Sir, that I advance a Paradox, when 
 I acquaint you that New -France, commonly call’d 
 Canada , comprehends a greater extent of Ground, 
 than the half of Europe : But pray mind what proof 
 I have for that Affe don. You know that Europe 
 extends South and North, from the ?yto the 72 
 degree of Latitude, or if you will, from Cadiz, to 
 the North Cape on the confines of Lapland ; and 
 that it’s Longitude reaches from the 9 tb to the 94 ^ ! 
 Degree, that is, from the River Oby, to the V» eft 
 Cape in TJIandia. But at the fame time, if we take 
 the greateli breadth of Europe, from Eafi to W elf, 
 from the imaginary Canal, ( for Inftance ) between 
 the 7 anais and the Volga, to Dinglcbay in Ireland, it 
 makes but 66 Degrees of Longitude, which con¬ 
 tain more Leagues than the Degrees allotted to it 
 towards the Polar Circle, though thefe are more nu¬ 
 merous,-by reafon that the degrees of Longitude arc 
 unequal: And fince we are wont to mealure Pro¬ 
 vinces, Iflands, and Kingdoms by the fpace ot 
 Ground, I am of the Opinion, that we ought to 
 make ufe of the fame Standard, wich refpe& to the 
 four parts of the World. The Geographers who par- 
 
io6 Some 2 S lew Voyages 
 
 cel out the Earth in their Clofets, according to their 
 fancy ; thefe Gentlemen, I fay, might have been 
 aware of this advance, if they had been more care¬ 
 ful. But, to come to Canada ; 
 
 All the World knows, that Canada reaches from 
 the i<)th to the 6yn&Deg. of Latitude, that is, from 
 the South fide of the Lake Errie, to the North fide of 
 Hudfons Bay ; and from the 284^, to the 53 6 tb De¬ 
 gree of Longitude, viz,, from the River Mffifyi, to 
 Cape Rafe in the lfland of New-Foundland. I af¬ 
 firm therefore, that Europe has but 11 Degrees of 
 Latitude, and 5 3 of Longitude, more than Canada , 
 in which I comprehend the lfland of New-Found- 
 landy Acadia , and all the other Countries that lye to 
 the Northward of the River of St. Laurence , which 
 is the pretended great boundary that fevers the 
 French Colonies from the Englijh. Were I to reckon 
 in all the Countries that lye to the North-Weft of 
 Canada , I Ihould find it larger than Europe : But I 
 confine my felf to what is difcover’d, known and 
 own’d; I mean, to the Countries in which the 
 French trade with the Natives for Beavers, and in 
 which they have Forts, Magazines, Miflionaries,and 
 fmall Settlements. 
 
 ’Tis above a Century and a half fince Canada was 
 difcover’d. John Verajan was the firft Difcoverer, 
 though he got nothing by it, for the Savages eat him 
 up. James Cartier was tile next that went thither, 
 but after failing with his Ship above Quebec, he re¬ 
 turn’d to France with a forry opinion of rhe Coun¬ 
 try. At laft better Sailors were imploy’d in theDif- 
 Govery, and trac’d the River of Sr. Laurence more 
 iarrowly: And about the beginning of thelaftCen* 
 /tury, a Colony was fent thither from Rouan, which 
 fetled there after a great deal of oppofition from the 
 f Natives. At this day the Colony is fb populous, 
 that ’tis computed to contain 180000 Souls. I have 
 already given you fome account of that Country in 
 
 my 
 

 to North America. 
 
 207 
 
 my Letters, and therefore fhall now only point to the 
 moft noted places,and take notice of what may grati- 
 fie your curioftty beyond what you have yet heard. 
 
 We are at a lofs to find the Head of the River of 
 St. Laurence, for tho’ we have trac’d it feven or eight 
 hundred Leagues up, yet we could never reach its 
 fource; the remoteft place that the Cowreurs Je Bois 
 go to, being the Lake Lenemipigon, which difimbogues 
 into the Upper Lake, as the Upper Lake do’s into the 
 Lake of Hurons, the Lake of Hurons into that of Erne 
 alias Conti, and that of Errie, into the Lake of Fron- 
 tmac, which forms this laft great River, that runs for 
 twenty Leagues with a pretty gentle Stream, and 
 (weeps thro’ thirty more with a very rapid Current,till 
 it reaches the City of Monreal\ from whence it con¬ 
 tinues its courfe with fome moderation to the City 
 of Quebec ; and after that fpreads out, and inlar- 
 ges it felf by degrees to its Mouth, which lies a hun¬ 
 dred Leagues further. If we may credit the North- 
 Country Savages, this River takes its rife from the 
 great Lake of the AJJinipouals, which they giveout to 
 be larger than any of the Lakes I mention’d but now, 
 being fituated at the diftance of fifty or fixty Leagues 
 from the Lake of Lenemipigon. The River of St. 
 Laurence is 20 or 22 Leagues broad at its Mouth, in 
 the middle of which there’s an Ifland call’d Anti- 
 jji cofii , which is twenty Leagues long. This Ifland be-' 
 longs to the Sieur Joliet a Canadan, who has built a 
 jj! littlefortify’d Magazine upon it, to guard his Goods 
 and his Family from the Incurfions of the Eski- 
 ,jj maux , of whom more anon. He deals with the o- 
 ther Savage Nations, namely, the Montagnois, and 
 the Papipanachois in Arms and Ammunition, by way 
 of exchange for the Skins of Sea-Wolves or Sea- 
 Calves, and fome other Furs. 
 
 Over againft this Ifland, to the Southward of if, 
 we find the Ifle call’d V IJIe Vercee, which is a great 
 Rock with a paflage bor’d through it, in which 
 
 the 
 
 hi 
 
 I 
 
 
 mr 
 
 
 
 BTr • i 1 
 
2 ©8 Some New Voyages 
 
 the Sloops can only pafs. In time of Peace the 
 Bifcayansoi France , and the Normans, us’d to fifh for 
 Cod at this place: For here that Fifh are very plen¬ 
 tiful, and at the fame time larger, and more proper 
 for drying than thofe of New- Found!and. But there 
 are two great Inconveniencies that attend the fifh- 
 ing upon this Ifland j one is, that the Ships ride in 
 great danger, unlefs they have good Anchors and 
 ftrong Cables; another Inconvenience is, that this 
 place affords neither Gravel nor Flint-ftones to 
 ftretch out the Fifh upon before the Sun, and that 
 the Fifhermen are forc’d to make ufe of a fort of 
 Hurdles. 
 
 There are other Fifhing-places befides this, which 
 lie fome Leagues higher up upon the fame fide of 
 the River. Such is that call’d Gaffe, where the Ships 
 Crew fometimes trade in Skins with the Gafpefiam , 
 to the prejudice of the Proprietors of this River. 
 The other places for Cod-filh lie toward Monts notri 
 dame , in the little Bays or Rivers that empty them- 
 felves into the River of St. Laurence. 
 
 On the other fide of the River,there lies the wiaeex- 
 tended Country of Labrador , or of the Eskimaux , who 
 are fuch a wild barbarous People,that no means what¬ 
 soever, have hitherto been able to civilife ’em. One 
 would think that good old Homer had this People in 
 his view, when he fpeaks of the Cyclopes; for the 
 Chara&er of the one, fuits the other admirably well, 
 as it appears from thefe four Verfes, in the ninth 
 Book of his Odjjfea, which are fo pretty, that I can¬ 
 not forbear inferring them in this place. 
 
 ToTw cf’ »r ay>fnti /3sA .wptyot 
 
 Am* G»y y v^r,Xot)y opecov vctoloi xclyivcc 
 
 *Ei' <nre»i yAapypo/V Qi/usivei Si exccsos 
 
 ITce/^W ‘rf ctA'l^av' aMwAwr ct’Aejpwi. 
 
 That 
 
X 
 
 to North- America. 109 
 
 That is; this People do not perplex themfelves 
 with voluminous Laws, and vexatious Suits; they 
 delight only in the tops of Mountains, and deep 
 Caves ana every one confines his care to tne ma¬ 
 nagement of his own Family, without troubling 
 his Head about his Neighbour. The Danes were the 
 firft difcoverers of this Country, which is fu.l ot 
 Ports, Havens, and Bays, that the Quebec Barques 
 refort to in the Summer, in order to truck with the 
 Savages for the Skins of Sea-Calves. The Com¬ 
 merce I fpeak of, is carried on after this manner. 
 As foon as the Quebec Barques come to an Anchor, 
 thefe Devils come on board of them in their little 
 Canows made of the Skins of Sea-Calves, in the 
 form of a Weavers Shuttle, with a hole in the 
 middle of it, refembling that of a Purfe, in which 
 they How themfelves with Ropes, fitting fuqat upon 
 their Brech. Being fet in this faffnon tney row 
 with little Slices, fometimes to the Right, and lome- 
 times to the Left, without bending their Body tor 
 fear of Over-fetting. As foon as they are near the 
 Barque, they hold up their Skins upon the end ot the 
 Oar and at the fame time make a demand ot fo 
 many Knives, Powder, Ball, Fufees, Axes, Kett.es, 
 &C. Ill fine, every one lnews what he has, and men¬ 
 tions what he experts in exchange - An o w ien 
 the Bargain is concluded, they deliver and receive 
 their Goods upon the end of a Stick. As thefe pi¬ 
 tiful Fellows ufe the precaution of not going on 
 board of our Boats, fo we take care not to fuffer 
 too great a number of Canows tofurround us; tor 
 they have carry’d off oftner than once, feme ot 
 our [mall Veffels, at a time when the Seamen were 
 bufied in hauling in the Skins, and dehvenng out the 
 other Goods. Here, we are obligd to be very vi- 
 gilant in the Night-time, for they know bow to 
 make great Sloops, that will hold thirty or forty 
 Men, and run as faff as the Wind: And t»forth£ 
 
21 o Some TSlew Voyages 
 
 Jeafon that the Malouins, who fifli for Cod at Petit q 
 Nord, and the Spaniards who follow the fame Fifhery 
 at Pcrtochoua, are oblig’d to fit out long Barques to ( 
 fcour the Coall and purfue ’em ; for almoft every 
 year they furprife fome of the Crew on fhoar, and ' 
 cut their Throats, and fometimes they carry off i'i, 
 the Velfel. We are affur’d, that their number of 
 Warriours, or Men that bear Arms, amounts to 
 thirty thousand ; but they are fuch cowardly fel- 
 lows, that five hundred Clifiino's from Hudjons Bay, 
 ufed to defeat five or fix thoufand of them. They 
 are poflefs'd of a very large Country, extending 
 from over a gain ft the ifles of Mingan to Hudfons ,j 
 
 Streight. They crofs over to tire Ifland of New found- | 
 
 Land every day, at the Streight of Belle I fie, which 
 is not above ftven Leagues over ,* but they never 
 came fo far as Placentia , for fear of meeting with 
 other Savages there. 
 
 Hadfott s Bay ad/’oyns to this Terra of Labrador, 1 
 and extends from the ya d Degree and thirty Mi¬ 
 nutes to the 6; of Latitude. The Original of its 
 name was this. Captain Henry Hudjon, an Englijh 
 Man by Birth, obtain’d a Ship from the Dutch, in 
 order to trace a paiTage to China through an imagi- 
 nary Streight to the Northward of North-America. 
 lie had firft form’d a defign of going by tire way 
 of Nova Zembla ; but upon feeing the Memoirs of 
 a Danijh Pilot, who was a friend of Iris, he drop’d 
 that thought. This Pilot, namely , Frederick An- 
 ichild, had fetouc from Nerwayr< or YJlandia, fonre 
 years before, with a defign to find out a PaiTage to 
 Japan by Davis' s Streight, which is the Chimerical 
 Straight ] fpcke of. The firft Land he defcry’d was 
 Savage Bay, Laced on tire North fide of the Terra 
 of Labrador ; then fweeping along the Coaft, he en¬ 
 ter’d a Streight, which about twenty or thirty years 
 afterwards, was chtiften’d Hudjons Streight. After 
 that, fleering to the^Weftward, he came upon fome 
 
 Ccaihi 
 
to North- America. 2 1 a 
 
 Coafls that run North and South ; upon which he 
 flood to the North, flattering himfeif with the hopes 
 of finding an open paflage to crofs the Sea of JeJJ'o; 
 but after failing to the Latitude of the Polar Cir¬ 
 cle, and running the rifque of perifhing in the Ice, 
 I do not know how often, without meeting with a- 
 ny palfage or open Sea, he took up a refoiution of 
 turning back; but the Seafon was then fo far advanc’d, 
 and the Ice io cover’d up the furface of the Water, 
 that he was forc’d to put in to Hudfon % Bay, and win¬ 
 ter there in a Harbour, where feveral Savages fur- 
 niflr’d his Crew with Provjfions and excellent Skins. 
 As foon as the Sea was open, he return'd to Den¬ 
 mark. Now, Captain Hudfon being afterwards ac¬ 
 quainted with this Dam, undertook upon his Jour¬ 
 nals to attempt a paflage to Japan through the 
 Streightof Davit ; but the Enterprife fail'd, as well 
 as that of one Button, and fome others. However, 
 Hudfcn put in to the Bay that now goes by his name, 
 where he receiv’d a great quantity of Skins from 
 the Savages ; after that, he difcover’d New Holland % 
 which is now call’d New-Ter k, and feme other 
 Countries retaining to New-England: upon the whole, 
 ’tis not fair to call this Streight and this Bay, by 
 the name of Hudfon ; in regard that the abo . emen- 
 tion’d Dane, Frederick Anjcbrfd, was the fiifl difeoverer 
 of them ; he being the firff European that^ defery’d 
 the Countries of North- America, and chalit d out the 
 way to the others. Upon this Hudjon s Journals, the 
 Englijh made feveral attempts to fettle a Commerce 
 with the Americans. The great quancity of Beaver- 
 Skins and other Furs that he purchas'd of the Savages 
 while he Winter’d in the Bay, put the notion in¬ 
 to the heads of fome Englijh. Merchants, who there¬ 
 upon form d a Company for the cariyingon of mis 
 New Commerce. With this view, they fitted out 
 fome Ships under the command of Capcain Hcl fen, 
 who loft fome of ’em in the Ice not far from the 
 
 p z Strerght, 
 
21 1 Some New Voyages 
 
 Streight, having efcap’d narrowly himfelf. Howe- i : 
 ver, he enter’d the Bay, and plac’d himfelf at the 
 Mouth of a great River, which rifes towards the 
 Lake of the Afimpouals, and falls into the Bay at a 
 place where he built a Redoubt, and mounted fome 
 Cannon upon it. In thefpace of three or four years f 
 after, the Englijh made fome other little Forts near :• 
 that River, which prov’d a confiderable baulk to 
 the Commerce of the French, who found that the 
 Savages who us'd to deal with ’em in Furs on the 
 North fide of the upper Lake, were not then to be ■' 
 
 feen. 
 
 It came to pafsin procefs of time, but how I li 
 cannot tell, that one RatiJJ'on, and one Groz>elier , *; 
 
 met in that great Lake fome Cliftlno s, who pro¬ 
 mis’d to conduft ’em to the bottom of the Bay, ! ; 
 where the Englijh had not yet penetrated. In ef- " 
 fe< 5 t, the Clifiino s were as good as their word ; for •' 
 they fliew’d ’em the place they fpoke of, befides 
 feveral other Rivers upon which there was a fair 
 profped of making fuch Settlements, as would ? 
 carry on a great trade in Skins with feveral Savage 
 Nations. Thefe two Frenchmen return’d to the Up- ; 
 per Lake, the lame way that they went, and from ' 
 thence made the beft of their way to Quebec, where 1 
 they offer’d to the chief Merchants of the place, ■■ 
 to carry Ships to Hudfons Bay j but their Project ■ 
 was reje&ed. In fine, having met with this re- 
 pulfe, they went to France, in hopes of a more fa- 
 ■ vourable heating at Court: But after the prefenting 
 of Memotial upon Memorial, and fpending a great • 
 deal of Money, they were treated as whimlical 
 Fellows. Upon that occafion the King of England’s 
 Ambalfadour did not lole the opportunity of per- 
 1 wading them to go to London, where they met with 
 fuch a favourable Reception, that they got feveral 
 Ships, which they carry’d to the Bay, not without 
 difficulty, and built feyeral Forts in different places, 
 
 that 
 
to NorfkAmerica. 21} 
 
 that did great fervice in promoting the Commerce. 
 Then the Court of France repented, though too 
 late, that they did not give ear to their Memorials; 
 and* finding no other remedy, refolv’d to diflodge 
 the Englijh at any rate. In cffed, they attack’d ’em 
 vigoroufly by Sea and Land, and difpolTefs’d ’em of 
 all their Forts, excepting Fort Nelfon, where they 
 could not expect fuch an eafie Conqueft. Some 
 years after, the Englijh refolv’d to ufe their utmoft 
 efforts to retake thel’e Polls; and their refolution 
 was crown’d with Succefs, for they diflodg’d the 
 French in their turn, and at this day the French are 
 making preparations to repay ’em in their own 
 Coin. 
 
 That Country is fo cold for feven or eight Months 
 of the year, that the Sea freezes ten Foot deep, 
 the Trees and the very Stones fplit,the Snow is ten or 
 twelve Foot deep upon the Ground, for above fix 
 Months of the year, and during that feafon, no 
 body can ftir out of Doors, without running the 
 rifque of having their Nofe, Ears and Feet mortifi¬ 
 ed by the Cold. The palfage from Europe to that 
 Country is fo difficult and dangerous, by reafon of 
 the Ice and the Currents, that one mull be reduc’d to 
 the laft degree of mifery, or be blind to a foolilh 
 heighth, that undertakes fuch a wretched Voyage. 
 
 ’Tis now time to pafs from Hudjons Bay, to the 
 Superior or Upper Lake. Tis eafier to make this 
 Voyage upon Paper, than to go adually through 
 it; for you mull fail almoft a hundred Leagues up 
 the River of Aiachakandihi, which is fo rapid and 
 full of Catarads, that a light Canow work’d by 
 fix Watermen, lhall not fail ’em under thirty or 
 thirty five days. At the head of this River we meet 
 with a little Lake of the fame name, from whence 
 we are oblig’d to a Land-carriage of feven Leagues, 
 to get at the River of Michipikoton, which we run 
 down in ten or twelve days, though at the fame 
 P \ time 
 
2 ! 4 Some New Voyages 
 
 time we have feveral Land-carriages upon it: For 
 going down this River we pafs feveral Catara&s, 
 where ws are oblig’d either to carry our Canows 
 by Land, or to drag ’em back again. Thus we 
 arrive at the Upper Lake, which is reckon’d to be 
 iiv$ hundred Leagues in Circumference, including 
 the windings of the Creeks, and little Gulfs. This 
 little fre/h-water Sea is calm enough from the be¬ 
 ginning of May, to the end of September. The South 
 fide is the lafeft for the Canows, by reafon of the 
 many Bays, and little Rivers, where one may put 
 in in cafe of a Storm. There is no fctled Savage 
 Nation upon the brinks of the Lake, that I know 
 of. Tis true indeed, that in Summer feveral Nor¬ 
 thern Nations come to Hunt and Filh in thefe parts, 
 and bring with ’em the Beaver-Skins they have got 
 in the Winter, in order to truck with the Coureurs 
 de Bois, who do not fail to meet ’em there every 
 year. 'Ihe places where the Interview happens, 
 are Bagouafcb , Lemipifaki , and Chagdudmlgon. Tis 
 fome years fince Mr. Dulhut built a Fort of Pales or 
 Stakes upon tins Lake, where he had large Ma¬ 
 gazines of all f)rts of Goods. That Fort was call’d 
 Camptsifiigbjan, and did confiderable Differvice to the 
 Englifl} Settlements in Hudfoni Bay ; by reafon that 
 it lav’d feveral Nations the trouble of tranfporting 
 their Skins to that Bay. Upon that Lake we find 
 Copper Mines, the Mettal of which is fo fine and 
 plentiiul, that there is not a feventh part Iofs from 
 the Oar. It has feme pretty large Iflands, which 
 are replenifn’d with Elks and wild Affe?; but there’s 
 icarce any that goes to hunt upon’em, by reafon 
 of the danger of croffing over. In fine, this Lake 
 abounds wirh Sturgeons, Trouts, and white Fifh. 
 The Climate is unfufferably cold for fix Months of 
 the year, and the Snow joyn’d to the Froft, com¬ 
 monly freezes the Water of the Lake for ten or 
 twelve Leagues over. 
 
 From 
 
to North- America. 215 
 
 From the Superiour or Upper Lake , I fteer to that 
 o{ Hurons, to which I allot four hundred Leagues 
 in Circumference. Now to make this Lake, you 
 mud fail down by the fall call’d Saut St. Mary, which 
 I defcrib’d in my fifteenth Letter. This Lake is fitu- 
 ated in a fine Climate, as you’ll perceive from the 
 Map. The North fide of it is belf for the Naviga¬ 
 tion of Canows, by reafon of the frequency cf Ifles 
 which afford fhelter in bad Weather. The South 
 fide is pleafanter, and more convenient for the 
 Hunting of Deer, which are there very plentiful. The 
 figure of this Lake comes near to an equilateral Tri¬ 
 angle. Of all its Ifles, that call’d Manitoualin, is the 
 molt confiderable, being above twenty Leagues 
 long, and ten broad. In former times, the Outa.vas 
 of the Nations of 'Talon and Sable dwelt in it; but 
 the dread they were under upon the account of the 
 Iroyttefe, oblig’d both them and their Neighbours to 
 retire to Mifjilirnakinac. That part of tire Conti¬ 
 nent that faces this Ifland , i> inhabited by the 
 Nockes and the Mifit agues, in two different Villa¬ 
 ges, which are twenty Leagues diftant, the one 
 from the other. Towards the Eaft end of this I- 
 fland, we fall in with the River Jes Francois, which I 
 took notice of in my fifteenth Letter. ’Tis as 
 broad as the Seine is at Paris, and runs not above for¬ 
 ty Leagues in length from its, fourcs in the Lake 
 Nep’cenni, to its Mouth. To the North-Welt or 
 this River, there lies the Bay of Turanto , which is 
 twenty, or five and twenty Leagues long, and fif¬ 
 teen broad at its Mouth. This Bay receives a Rw 
 ver that fprings from a httle Lake of the lame name, 
 and forms feveral Cataracts that are equally im¬ 
 practicable both upon the afcent and defcenc. Op- 
 on the fide of this River you 11 fee a Mans Head 
 mark'd in my Map, which fig; 1 iocs a large Village 
 of the Hurons , that was deft rov’d by the Ineju.jc. 
 You may go from the foufce or this River to the 
 - 1> 4 Lake 
 
21 6 Some Neu> Voyages 
 
 Lake Frontenac, by making a Land-carriage to the 
 River of Tanaouate, that falls into that Lake. Upon /. 
 che South fide of the Bay of Toronto, you fee the Fort y 
 call’d Fort Suppofe, which I mention’d in my 2%d 
 Letter, and about thirty Leagues to the Southward j 
 of that, you find the Country of Theonontate, which 
 being formerly inhabited by the Hurotts, was en- ' 
 tirely depopulated by the Iroqueje. 
 
 From thence I pafs diredly to my Fort, with- ■' 
 out amufing you with the different Landskips I met ‘ 
 with in the {pace of thirty Leagues. That FortT ® 
 have {poke fo often of already, that without flop- -■ 
 ping there, I fhall run dire&ly to the Bay of Saki- :t 
 vac, reckoning it needlefs at the fame time, to take 
 any notice of the many Shelves and Rocks that lye *' 
 hid under the Water for two Leagues off the Coafh 
 This Bay is fixteen or feventeen Leagues long, and : 
 fix broad at its Mouth : In the middle of which we 
 meet with two little Iflands, that are very fervice- 
 able to the Paffengers; for if it were not for the ; 
 conveniency of putting in there, they would be ob- - 
 lig’d for the moft part, rather to march quite round 
 the Bay, than to run the hazard of croffing dire&ly i 
 over in a Canow. The River of Sakinac falls into . 
 the bottom of the Bay. This River runs fixty Leagues i 
 in length, with a gentle Current, having only three 
 little Cararabts that one may fhoot without dan¬ 
 ger. ’Tis as broad as the Seine is at Seve Bridge. 
 Once in two years the Outaouas and the Huron, are 
 wont to hunt great quantities of Beavers upon the 
 confines of the River of Sakinac. Between the Ri¬ 
 ver I now fpeak of, and MijJUimakinac, we meet 
 with no place that is worth our regard. As for Mif- 
 ftlirmkinac it felf, I have already imparted to you 
 all that 1 can fay of that Poft, which is of lo great 
 importance to our Commerce, and at the fame time 
 fent you a draught of it. I fhall therefore purlue 
 jnv courfe to the Lake Errie, remembring that I 
 * deferib’d 
 
 v . f > • • t 
 
to North America. i 17 
 
 defcrib’d the Ilinefe Lake in my fixteenth Letter. 
 
 The Lake Erne is juftty dignified with the illu- 
 ftrious name of Conti ; for affuredly ’tis the lmell 
 Lake upon Earth. You may judge of the goodneis 
 of the Climate, from the Latitudes of the Countries 
 that furround it. Its Circumference extends to two 
 hundred and thirty Leagues ; but it affords every¬ 
 where fuch a charming ProfpeA, that itsBanks ar 
 deck’d with Oak-Trees, Elms, Chefnut-Trees Wal¬ 
 nut-Trees, Apple-Trees, Plum-Trees, and Vines 
 which bear their fine cluftefs up to the very top of 
 the Trees, upon a fort of ground that hesas fmooth 
 as one’s Hand. Such Ornaments as .theft, are fuf- 
 ficient to give rife to the rnoft agreeable Ic* 
 
 Landskip fn the World. I cannot exprefs what 
 vaft quantities of Deer and Turkeys are to be found 
 in thefe Woods, and in the vaft Meads that. lye up¬ 
 on the South fide of the Lake. At t e 
 the Lake, we find wild Beeves upon he^nks ol 
 two pleafant Rivers that difembogue ’nto n, ™ h 
 out Catarads or rapid Currents. It abounds_w tfi 
 Sturgeon and white Filh ; but Trouts are very fca.ce 
 in it as well as the other tifh that we take in the 
 Lakes of Huron s and Il'mfe. Tis clear o » 
 
 Rocks, 'and Banks of Sand ; and h as fourteen or 
 
 fifteen fathom Water. < The Savages affure u , tUf 
 ’tis never difturb’d with high Wmjfcbjt m th 
 Months of December , January 
 ven then but feldom, which indeed l am very^ apt 
 to believe for we had but very few Storm? when 
 . 1° winter’d in my Fore in .688, .hough che F« 
 
 lav ooen to the Lake of Hurcns. The Barits ot 
 Lake^arecommonly frequented by none; but Wan - 
 ours, whether th eIr T 'l', the »*/«> the , 
 
 “nd TurkeyT run i*n great Bodies u/and down the 
 
 iho^ail round the Lake. In forme. 
 
 / 
 
2 t 8 Some New Voyages 
 
 rierenofis, and the Andafiogueronons , liv’d upon the 
 Confines of this Lake, but they were extirpated by 
 the Ircquefe, as well as the other Nations mark’d in 
 
 the Map. 
 
 Upon the North fide of the Lake we defery a 
 point of Land, that flioots fifteen Leagues into the 
 Main j and about thirty Leagues beyond that to 
 the Eaftward, we meet with a fmall River that takes 
 its rile near the Bay of Ganaraske, in the Lake of 
 Frtmtenac ; and would afford a fnort paffagefrom the 
 one Lake to the other, if ’twere not incumber’d 
 with Catara&s. From thence to the Streight or 
 Mouth of the Lake, you have thirty Leagues; the 
 Streight being a League over, and fourteen Leagues 
 long. Upon this Streight you fee Fort Suppoje mark’d 
 in the Map, which is one of the Forts that I men¬ 
 tion’d in my z^d Letter. From that imaginary 
 Fort to the River of Cond'e , we have twenty Leagues. 
 
 The River of Gonde runs fixty Leagues in length 
 without Catara&s, if we may credit the Savages, 
 who affur’d me, that one may go from its fource 
 to another River that falls into the Sea, without any 
 other Land-carriage than one of a League in length, 
 between the River and the other. I faw only the 
 Mouth of the firft River, where our Outaouas tried 
 their Limbs, as I told you in my fifteenth Letter. 
 The illands that you fee mark’d in the Map at the 
 bottom of the Lake Errie, are rsplcnifh’d with Roe- 
 Bucks. and with Fruit-Trees, which nature /ms ge- 
 neroufiy provided, in order to entertain the Tur¬ 
 keys, Feafants and Deer wi ll their Fruit. In fine, 
 if there were a clear and free palfage for Vef- 
 fels, frern Quebec to this Lake, it might be made the 
 finefi, the rfcheft, and the mofrfectile Kingdom in 
 the World: For over and above all the, beauties I 
 have mention’d, there are excellent Silver Mines a- 
 bout twenty Leagues up the Country , upon a 
 certain Hill, from whence the Savages brought 
 
to North America. 219 
 
 us great lumps, that have yielded that precious Mer- 
 tal with little wade. 
 
 From the Lake Errik,\ fleer my courfe to that 
 of Frontenac , which I could not forbear to fpeak of 
 in my feventh and feventeenth Letters. This Lake 
 ( as I intimated above ) is 180 Leagues in Circumfe¬ 
 rence, its figure is Oval, and its depth runs between 
 twenty and twenty five Fathom. On the South fide 
 it receives feveral little Rivers, particularly thofe of 
 the Tfonimtouans , of the Onwont agues, and of the Famine ; 
 oa the North fide ’tis joyn’d by the Rivers o( Ga- 
 naraske, and of Teonontate. Its fides are deck’d with 
 tall Trees, and th? ground is indifferent even and 
 level, for it has no ffeep Coalts. On the North fide 
 we meet with feveral little Gulfs. You may go 
 from this Lake to that of Huron, by -going up the 
 River Tanaouate, from whence you have a Land-car¬ 
 riage of fix or eight Leagues to the River of Toron¬ 
 to, which falls into ic. You may likewife have a 
 paffage from the Lake of Frontenac , to that of Err id, 
 through the Bay of Ganaraske, by miking a Land- 
 carriage from thence to a little River that’s full of 
 Cat a rads. The Villages of the Omontaguei, T\onon- 
 touans, Goyogouans, and Onnoyoutes , are not fat diilant 
 from the Lake of Frontenac. Thefe Irocjuefe Nations 
 are very advantageoufly feated. 1 hey have a plea- 
 fant and fertile Country ; but they want Roe-Bucks 
 and Turkeys, as well as Fifli, of which their Ri¬ 
 vers are altogether delfitute, infomuch that they are 
 forc’d to fifti in the Lake, and to broil or dry their 
 Filh with a Fire, in order to keep ’em and tranf- 
 port ’em to their Villages. They arc in like man¬ 
 ner forc’d to range out of their own .territories, in 
 queff of Beavers in the Winter-time, either towards 
 Ganaraske , or to the fides of the Lake of Toron¬ 
 to, or elfe towards the great River of the Outaouas j 
 where ’twould be an eaJie matter to cut ail their 
 Throats, by purfuing the courfe I laid down in my 
 J 1 Letters. 
 
120 Some New Voyages 
 
 Letters. I have already touch’d upon the Forts of 
 Frontenac and Niagara ; as well as upon the River of ;i 
 St. Laurence, which here takes leave of the Lakes, t 
 and purfues a comparer courfe to Monreal and Que¬ 
 bec, where its waters mingling with thofe of the 
 Sea, become fo brackifh, that they are not drink¬ 
 able. 
 
 It remains only to give you a Defcription of A- 
 cadia, and the Ifiand of Nw found-Land, which are 
 two Countries that differ widely from one another. 
 The Coaft of Acadia extends from Kenebeki , one of_ 
 the Frontiers of New-England, to 1'IJle Vercee, near 
 the Mouth of the River of St. Laurence. This Sea- 
 Coaft runs almoft three hundred Leagues in length, 
 and has upon it two great Navigable Bays, name¬ 
 ly, the Bay call’d Francoife, and the Bay des Cba- 
 leun . It has a great many little Rivers, the Mouths 
 of which are deep, and clean enough for the greateft 
 Ships. Thefe Rivers would afford a plentiful Salmon- 
 fi/hery, if there were any body to undertake it; and 
 moft of’em as well as the Gulfs that lies before’em, 
 furnifli fuch Cods as we take at the IJle Vercee. For in 
 the Summer time, that fort of Fiih make in to the 
 Coaft in Shoals, efpecially about the Iflands of Cape 
 Breton, and of St. John. ’Tis true, the latter has 
 no Harbours, and the former has none that receive 
 any Veflel above the burthen of a Barque j but if 
 thefe two Iflands were peopled, the Inhabitants 
 might fit out Sloops to manage the Fifhery ; and to¬ 
 wards the latter end of Auguft, when the Filh are 
 cur’d and ready, the Ships might come to an An¬ 
 chor near the Land, and fo take ’em in. Two 
 Gentlemen of the name of Amour of Quebec, have 
 a Settlement for Beaver-hunting upon the River of 
 St. John ; which is a very pleafant R.iver, and a- 
 dorn’d with Fields that are very fertile in Grain. 
 
 ’Tis Navigable for twelve Leagues up, from its 
 Mouth. Between the point of Acadia, and the I- 
 ' '' - ' flan & 
 
■■■■ 
 
 to America. 221 
 
 fland of Cape Breton, there is a Channel or Streighc 
 about two Leagues in breadth, which is deep enough 
 to carry the greateft Ships in France. ’Tis call’d the 
 pafs dei Canjeaux, and would be much more fre¬ 
 quented than it is, if the Merchant-men bound to 
 Canada, would fet out from France about the i ^th of 
 March ; for then they might pafs that way, being 
 affur’d of a clear paflage at all feafons of the year, 
 whereas the Channel of Gape de Raye , is oftentimes 
 cover’d with Ice in April : And by this contrivance, 
 the Ships would arrive at Quebec in- the beginning of 
 
 May. ., 
 
 Moft of the Countries of Acadia abound wicrt 
 Corn, Peale, Fruit, and Pulfe; and have a plain 
 diftindtion of the four Seafons of the year, notwith- 
 ftanding that ’tis extream cold for three Months ia 
 Winter. Several places of Acadia, afford Mails a* 
 ftrong as thofe we have from Norway ; and if there 
 were occafion, all forts of Ships might be built there: 
 For if you’ll believe the Carpenters, the Oak of 
 that Country is better than ours in Europe. In a 
 word, ’tis a very fine Country j the Climate is^ in¬ 
 different temperate, the Air is pure and wholefcm, 
 the Waters clear and light, and there’s good accom¬ 
 modation for Hunting, Shooting, and Fifhing. i he 
 Animals that we meet with there moft commonly, 
 are Beavers, Otters, and Sea-Calves, all of ’em be* 
 ing very numerous. Thofe who love Meat are in¬ 
 debted to the Dodtors, who perfwaded the P°P^ S 
 Metamorphofe thefe terreflrial Animals into tilnj 
 for they are allow’d to eat of ’em without fcruple 
 in the time of Lent. To be plain, the knowledge 
 ! have of that Country, makes me forefee that the 
 Englijh will be matters of it forne time or other. I 
 could give very plaufible reafons for the Prophecy. 
 They have already begun to ruine tire Commerce 
 that the French had with the Savages, and in a more 
 time, they’ll compafs its intire Deftrudiion. The 
 
 French 
 
22 z Some iSiew Voyages 
 
 French they will prize their Goods too high, though 
 they are not fo good asthofe of the Englijh ; and yet 
 the Englijh fell their Commodities cheaper. ’Twere 
 a pity that we fliould tamely leave to the Englijh a 
 Country, the Conquert of which they have attempt¬ 
 ed fo often, in confideration of our Fur-trade and 
 and Cod-fifhing. ’Tis impoffible to hinder ’em to 
 pcfl'efs themfelves of the Settlements upon the Coaft 
 of Acadia , by reafon that they lye at fuch a diftance 
 from one another ; fo that they’ll certainly fucceed in 
 fuch Enterprifes, as indeed they have done already. 
 The French Governours, they a& with the fame view, 
 as many of thofe who are imploy’d in Ports beyond 
 Sea They look upon their place as a Gold Mine 
 given ’em, in order to enrich themfelves; fo that 
 the publick Good, muft always march behind pri¬ 
 vate Intereft. Mr. de Meneval fufFer’d the Englijh 
 to- portefs themfelves of Port Royal, becaufe that place 
 was cover’d with nothing but fingle Palillado’s. 
 But why was it not better fortified ? I can tell you 
 the reafon ; he thought he had time enough to fill 
 his Pockets, before the Englijh would attack it. This 
 Govcrnour fucceeded to Mr. Perrot, who was broke 
 with Difgrace, for having made it his chief bufinefs 
 to enrich himfelf; and after returning to France, 
 went back again with feveral Ships laden with Goods, 
 in order to fee up for a private Merchant in that 
 Country. While Mr. Perrot was Governour, hefuf- 
 fer’d the Englijh to portefs themfelves of feveral ad¬ 
 vantageous Ports, without offering to ftir. His chief 
 bufinefs was to go in Barques from River to River, 
 in order to craffick with the Savages: And after he 
 was difg rac’d, he was not contented with a Com¬ 
 merce upon tire Coarts of Acadia, but would needs 
 extend it to the Englfo Plantations; but it coft him 
 dear, for fome Pyrates fell in with him, and after 
 1’eizing his Barques, duck’d himfelf, upon which he 
 died immediately. 
 
 lied 
 
 0 
 
 tirt 
 
 fcili 
 
 Ike 
 
 jut 
 
 tec 
 
 tine 
 
 !»] 
 
 tad 
 
 IB d 
 lit 
 
 Ml 
 
 itjo 
 
 jit 
 
 i;m 
 
 ikit 
 
 ai 
 
 n,; 
 
 
 at 
 
 ii 
 
 UK 
 
 *5 
 
 The 
 
to Nortfr-'America. 22$ 
 
 The three principal Savage Nations that live upon 
 the Coaftsbf Acadia, are the Abenaki s, the Miktmak, 
 and the Canibas. There are fome other erratick Na¬ 
 tions, who go and come from Acadia , to New-England, 
 and goby thenamesof Mahi’gans } Soccokis } And Openan- 
 go. Th e firfi three (having fix’d Habitations) are irc- 
 tirely in the interefts of the French’, and I muft fay, that 
 in time of War they- gall the Engl if j Colonies with 
 their Incurfions, fo much, that we ought to take 
 care to perpetuate a good underftanding between 
 them and us. The Baron cf Saint Cafiems, a Gen¬ 
 tleman of Olerott in Beam, having liv’d among the 
 Abcnakis after the Savage way,'for above twenty 
 years, is fo much refpeoted by the Savages, that they 
 look upon him as their Tutelar God. He was for¬ 
 merly an Officer of the Carignan Regiment in Ca¬ 
 nada’, and upon the breaking of that Regiment, 
 threw himfelf among the Savages, whofe Language 
 he had learn’d. He married among ’em after their 
 fafhion, and prefer’d the Forrefis of Acadia to the 
 Vyrenean Mountains, that encompafs the place of his 
 Nativity : For the firft years of his abode with the 
 Savages, he behav’d himfelf fo, as to draw an inex- 
 preffible efteem from ’em. They made him their 
 Great Chief or Leader, who is in a manner die So- 
 veraign of the Nation ; and by degrees he has work’d 
 himfelf into fuch a Fortune, which any Man. but 
 he would have made fuch ufe of, as to draw out of 
 that Country above two or three hundred thoufand 
 Crowns, which he has now in his Pocket in good 
 dry Gold. But all the ufe he makes of ir, is, to 
 buy up Goods for Prefents to his Fellow-Sa¬ 
 vages, who upon their return from Hunting, pre- 
 fent him with Beaver-bkins to a treble value. The 
 Governours General of Canada keep in with him, 
 and the Governours of Nov-England are afraid of 
 him. He lus feveral Daughters, who are, all of 
 
 1 
 
 
2*4 Some New Voyages 
 
 ’em, married very handfomly to Frenchmen, and had 
 good Dowries. He has never chang’d his Wife j 
 by which means he mean’d to give the Savages to 
 underhand, that God do’s not love inconftant Folks. 
 ’Tis faid, that he indeavour’d to convert thefe poor 
 People, hut his indeavonrs prov’d fuccefslefs ; fothat 
 ’tis in vain for thejefuits to preach up the Truths 
 of Christianity to ’em ; though after all, thefe good 
 Fathers are not difcourag’d, nay, they think that 
 the adminiftring of Baptifm to a dying Child, is 
 worth ten times the pains and uneafinefs of living 
 among that People. 
 
 Vort'Royal, the Capital or the only City of Aca¬ 
 dia, is in effeft no more than a little paultry Town, 
 that is fomewhat inlarg’d fincethe War broke out in 
 1689. by the acceflionof the Inhabitants that liv’d 
 near Bojlon, the Metropolitan of New- England. A great 
 many of thefe People retir’d to Port-Royal, upon 
 the apprehenfion that the Englifl would pillage em, 
 and carry ’em into their Country. Mr. de Mene- 
 W furrendred this place to the English, as I laid be¬ 
 fore ; he could not maintain fuch a poft with the 
 handful of Men that he had, becaufe the Paliffadoes 
 were low, and out of order. Me made a Capitula¬ 
 tion with the Commander of the Party that made 
 the Attack; but the Evglifh Officer broke his word 
 to him, and us’d him both ignominioufly and 
 harfhly. Tort-Royal is feated in the Latitude of 44 
 Degrees, and 40 Minutes, upon the edge of a 
 very fine Bafin , which is a League broad, and 
 two Leagues long, having at the entry about fix- 
 teen or eighteen fathom Water on one fide, and fix 
 cr feven on the other; for you muft know that the 
 Ifiand call’d Tip aux Chcvres which Bands in the 
 the middle, divides the Channel into two. lheres 
 excellent anchorage all over the Bafin; and at the 
 bottom of it, there’s a Cape or point of Land that 
 parts two Rivers, at which the tide rites ten or 
 
v v 
 
 to Norf/? America. 115 
 
 twelve Foot. Thefe Rivers are bounded by plea- 
 fant Meads, which in Spring and Autumn are co¬ 
 ver’d with all forts of frefh Water-foul. In fine, 
 Tort-Royal is only a handful of Houfes two Story 
 high, and has but few Inhabitants of any Note. Xf 
 fubfifts upon the traffick of the Skins, which the 
 Savages bring thither to truck for European Goods. 
 In former times, the Farmer’s Company had Ma- 
 razins in this place, which were under the care 
 of the Governours. I could eafily mention lomc 
 of ’em, if I were not apprehenfive that thele Me¬ 
 moirs may be fecn by others befides your felf. 
 
 The Ifland of Newfound-Land, is three hundred 
 Leagues in Circumference. It lies at the diftance 
 of fix hundred and fifty Leagues from Frame, and 
 forty or fifty Leagues from the Bank o» the lame 
 name. The South fide of the Ifland belongs to the 
 French, who have feveral Settlements there for the 
 fifliing of Cod. The Eaft fide is inhabited by the 
 Englit who are poXTefs’d of feveral confiderable 
 Polls, fituated in certain Ports, Bays, and Havens* 
 which they have taken care to fortifie. * he V Jett 
 of the Ifland is wafte, and was never yetpollels d. 
 The Ifland is of a triangular Figure, and full of 
 Mountains, and impracticable Forrefts. t as ome 
 great Meadows, or rather Heaths, which ^cover¬ 
 ed with a fort of Mofs inllead of Grafs. Toe Soil 
 of this Country is good for nothing, as being a 
 mixture of Gravel, Sand and Stones; o nut tie 
 Filhery was the only motive that indue d the French 
 and the Englijh to fettle there. It affords great_ ftore 
 of Game, for Water-fowl, Patndges and Hairs,, 
 but as for the Stags, ’tis almoft impolhble to come 
 at’em, by reafon that the Mountains are fo high, 
 and the Woods fo thick. In this Iflan > 2 - 
 
 in that of Cape Breton, we find Porphyry of fe¬ 
 veral colours; and care has been taken to fend to 
 France fome pieces of it fc* a Pattern, w * 
 
216 Some New Voyages 
 
 found to be very pretty, only they were hard to cut. O 1 
 I havefeen feme of ’em that were red fireak’d with 
 green, and feem’d to be excream fine ; but the mif- i# 
 chief is, itfplits fo when ’tis taken out of theQuar- 
 tics, that it cannot be made ufe of, but by way of ft 
 incruftation. s th 
 
 This Ifland of Cape Breton affords likewife 3 ? 
 
 black Marble, or a fort of Brefcbe with grey Veins, *, 
 
 which is hard, and not eafily polifh’d. This Stone 
 is apt to fplit, for ’tis not equally hard, and it has sds 
 
 knots in it. There are no fetled Savages in the I- jb 
 
 fland of Newfound-Land. ’Tis true, the Eskimaux do Jtl 
 fometimes crofs over to it at the Streight of Bede IJle ;:I 
 
 in great Sloops, with intent to furprile the Crew of ii 
 
 the Filhermen upon the Coaft call’d Petit Nord. Our r, 
 
 Settlements are at Placentia , at the Ifland of St. Peter , a 
 
 and in the Bay of TrepaJJez,. From Cape Rafe to Cha- ^ 
 
 peau Rouge, the Coaft is very clean, but from Chapeau jft 
 
 Rouge to Cape Rafe, the Rocks render it dangerous. ^ 
 
 There are two confiderable Inconveniences, that at- jj, 
 tend the landing upon this Ifland. In the firft place, ft 
 the Fogs are here fo thick in the Summer, fortwenty ;• 
 
 Leagues off into the Main, that the ableft and molt & 
 
 expert Sailor dare not ftand into the Land while j 
 
 they laft : So that all Ships are oblig’d to lye bye 
 for a clear day, in order to make the Land. The j 
 
 fecond Inconveniency, which is yet greater, pro- u 
 
 ceeds from the Currents which run to and again, ^ 
 
 without any perceivable variation, by which means jj 
 
 the Ships are fometimes drove in upon the Coaft, ■ 
 
 when they reckon upon ten Leagues offing. But, ^ 
 
 which is worft of all, the infenfible motion of the ft 
 
 rowling Waves,thro<w’s ’eminfenfibly upon theRocks, \ 
 
 which they cannot poffibly avoid,for want of ground x 
 
 to anchor upon. ’Twas by this means that the . 
 
 King’s Ship the Pretty was loft in 1692, as well as a 
 great many others upon feveral occasions. 
 
 Of 
 
to Nortlr America. 
 
 22 7 
 
 OF all our Settlements in North- America, Placen¬ 
 tia is the Poft of the greateft Importance and Ser¬ 
 vice to the King, in regard that ’tis a place of re¬ 
 fuge to the Ships that are oblig’d to put in:o a Har¬ 
 bour, when they go or come from Canada, and even 
 to thofe which come from South- America, when 
 they want to take in frelh Water or Provifi- 
 ons, and have Iprung their Mafts, or been dam- 
 mag’d in a Storm. This place is (ituated in the La¬ 
 titude of 47 Degrees, and fome Minutes, almoft at 
 the bottom of the Bay that goes by the fame name. 
 The Bay is ten or twelve Leagues broad, and twenty 
 odd Leagues long. 1 he Fort ftands upon the fide 
 of a Neck or narrow Streight, which is fixty Paces 
 over, and fix Fathoms water deep. The Ships that 
 enter into the Port, are oblig’d to graze, ( fo to 
 {peak ) upon the angle of the Baftions. The Port 
 or Harbour is a League long, and a quarter of a 
 League over: Before the Port there s a large, fine 
 road, which is a League and a half wide j but lies 
 fo bleak to the North-Weft, and Weft-North-Weft 
 Winds, the ftrongeft and rnoft boifterous Winds that 
 are, that neither Cables nor Anchors, nor large h°ut 
 Ships can withftand their furious (hocks; tho indeed 
 thefe violent (forms feldom happen but in the af¬ 
 ter end of Autumn. The fame year that the Pretty 
 was loft, the King loft another of 69 Guns calld 
 the Good, in this Road ; and if the four or five other 
 Ships that belong’d to the lame Squadron, had not 
 took the precaution of tteering into Port, t ey 
 had certainly underwent the fame fate. \' 1 ' s | . Ro ^ 
 then which is only expos’d to the North-Weft, and 
 Weft-North-Weft Winds, has fome hidden Rock* 
 on the North fide, befides thofe at Pwiwre Perte,'where 
 feveralof the Inhabitants are wont to fiih. All thele 
 things you may fee plainly upon the Plan that l 
 lent yoaalong with my 2;«! Letter. 
 
 0.2 
 
 Com- 
 
228 Some N ew Voyages 
 
 t v#l Oj- 
 
 Commonly, there comes thirty or forty Ships gj 
 from France to Vlacentia every year, and fometimes ^Cr 
 fixty. Some come with intent to fifli, and others 0 
 have no other defign than to truck with the Inha- 
 bitants, who live in the Summer time on the other 
 fide of the Fort. The ground upon which their Hou- j • 
 fes ftand, is call’d La grand Grave, for in effedt, they 
 have nothing but Gravel to fpread their Cod-fifh 
 upon, in order to have ’em dry’d by the Sun after „y 
 they are falted. The Inhabitants and the French Fifher- 
 men,fend their Sloops every day two Leagues off the 
 Port to purfue the Fifhery ; and fometimes the Sloops 
 return fo over-loaded, that they are in a manner bu- 
 ry’d in the Water. You cannot imagine how deep 
 they fink, and ’tis impoflible you fhould believe it, i 
 unlefs youfawit. The Fifhery commences in the r 
 beginning of June, and is at an end about the mid- 
 die of Augu[i. In the Harbour they catch a little 
 fort of a tifh, which they put upon their Hooks as a 
 bait for the Cod. \ 
 
 Vlacentia is in great want of Gravel, which oc- 
 cafions the thinnefs of the Inhabitants. If the Go- 
 vernours prefer’d the King’s Service to Avarice, they a . 
 might make it a confiderable Poft, and a great ma- K 
 ny would make gravel Walks at their own charge; ^ 
 
 but as long as the Governours prey upon the for¬ 
 tunes of private Men, under the fair pretence of il 
 the King’s Service, which is always in their Mouths, 
 
 I can’t fee that this Settlement will ever be in- 
 larg’d or improv’d. Do’s not the Governour dif- > 
 grace his Prince, and fink the character of his Poft, 
 in turning Fifherman, Merchant, Vintner, and a<ft- 11 
 ing in the way of a thoufand meaner and more !n 
 Mechanical Trades ? Is not this a piece of Tyran¬ 
 ny? To force the Inhabitants to buy what Goods 
 they want, out of fuch and fuch a Ship, and to fell 
 their Cod to fuch other Ships as the Governour is 
 interefs’d in, and that as a principal Owner: To 
 
 appro- 
 
to Kortb’Amtnca.. 
 
 129 
 
 appropriate tohimfelf the Rigging and Tackle of 
 the Ships that are caft away upon the Coaft, to ftop 
 the Crew of Merchantmen for his own Fifhery, to 
 fell Habitations or Settlements, toftifle the bidding 
 up for Effects fold by way of Auction that he may in- 
 grofsthem by his foie Authority,to change the Pfovi- 
 lions laid up in Magazines for his Majelly’s Troops, 
 to carry off the good Biskuit and put bad in the 
 room of it, to make fo much Beef and Bacon for 
 the fubfiftance of the Garrifon, to force the Inha¬ 
 bitants to fend their Servants and Carpenters to 
 fome work, in which his Majefty’s Service is lefs 
 concern’d than his own Pocket: Thefe, I fay, are 
 things that I take to be plain infractions of the Or¬ 
 ders iffued forth by Lewis the XIV. Thele are a- 
 bufes that mult be redrefs’d, if we would have the 
 King to be well ferv’d : And yet there’s nothing 
 done in it. For my part, I am unacquainted with the 
 reafon of the delay; thofe that have a mind to know, 
 had bell ask the Deputies of Monfieur de P 
 I am fully perfwaded, that all thefe Pyracies do not 
 come to the King’s Ear, for he’s too juft to lutter 
 
 em. 
 
 To conclude 5 Placentia bears neither Corn, not 
 Rie, nor Peafe, for the Soil is good for nothing ; 
 not to mention, that if it were as good and as ei- 
 tile as any in Canada, yet no body would give them- 
 felves the trouble to cultivate it; for one Man earns 
 moreinCod-filhing in one Summer, than ten would 
 do in the way of Agriculture. In the great Bay of 
 "Placentia, there are lome little Harbours, (behdes 
 that of the Fort) which the Bifcay Filhennen re¬ 
 fort to. Such are the little and the great Bunn, 
 Laurence, Martir , Chapeau Rouge, &C. 
 
 Q. 3 
 
 r 
 
 / 
 
 
2 5 o Some New Voyages 
 
 A Li(l of the Savage Nations of Canada. 
 
 Thofe in Acadia. 
 
 The Abenaki: . *j 
 
 The Micmac . i Thefe are all of ’em good War- 
 The Canibas . j riours; they are more a&ive and 
 The Mahingans. >lefs cruel than the Iroquefe. Their 
 The Openangos. Language differs a little from that 
 The Soccokis. of the A Igonkins. 
 
 The Eteohemins. j 
 
 The Nations that lye upon the River of St. Laurence, 
 from the Sea to Monreal. 
 
 The ^Mwntancers \ Thefe fpeak the Algonkin Lan- 
 The Gafpefia77s 
 
 The Herons of Loreto , the Iroquefe Tongue. 
 
 "I tW s *'i The A ^ h - LangU3ge - 
 
 The Agnies of the Fall call’d Sam St. Louis; they 
 fpeak the Iroquefe Language, and are good War- 
 riours. 
 
 The Irccjuefe of the Mountain of Monreal; they fpeak 
 the Iroquefe Language, and area brave People. 
 
 Thofe upon the Lake of Hurons. 
 
 The Hurons , the Irotjuefe Language. 
 
 The Outaouas. 
 
 The Nock?s. 
 
 The Miff (agues. 
 
 The Attikamek. 
 
 2"he Outehipoues, alias Sautcurs , good Warriours. 
 
 v 
 
 i 
 
 The Algonkin Language. 
 
 Upon 
 
 [I 
 
 »C 
 It l 
 
 Del 
 
 let 
 
 '.s i 
 
 Itf 
 
 % 
 
 5(1 
 
 h 
 
 V 
 
 5t- 
 
 It 1 
 
 it 
 
 l* 
 
 Ik 
 
 la 
 
 H 
 
 I 
 
 .Ik 
 
 5 
 
 J 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
to North- America.* ^ 2 j t 
 
 Upon the Ilinefe Lake, and the adjacent Country. 
 
 Some Ilinefe at Chegakou. 
 
 The Oumamis , good Warriours/ 
 
 The Maskoutens. 
 
 The Kikapous, good Warriours. 
 
 The Outagamis , good Warriours. 
 
 The Malomimis. 
 
 The Vonteouatamis. 
 
 The Ojatinons, good Warriours. 
 
 The Sakts. 
 
 In the Neighbourhood of the Lake o/FrontenaC- 
 
 The Tfonontouansl ^hefe f pea k a different Lan- 
 The Goyoguans. r £U age from the Algonkln. 
 
 Th eOnnotagues. > 6 . 
 
 The Onnoyoutes and Agnies, at a fmall diltance. 
 
 Near the River of the Outaouas. 
 
 They fpeak the 
 AlgonkinLAng&zgz, 
 Vand are a fprightly 
 
 I a&ive fort of Peo¬ 
 ple. 
 
 J 
 
 The 7 ‘abitibi. 
 
 The Monz,oni. j They fpeak the Algon- 
 
 The Machakandibi. Language, and all of 
 
 The Nopemen d’Acbirini. J > em are ver y cowardly. 
 
 The Nepiferini. j 
 
 The Temiskamink. ’j 
 
 To the North of Miffifipi, and upon the Confines of the 
 Upper Lake , and Hudfon’s Bay. 
 
 The Nadoutflis. 
 
 The AJfimpouals' 
 
 The Sonkaskitons. 
 
 The Ouadbatons. , 
 
 The Atintons. >Thefe fpeak Algonktn. 
 Th eCliftinos brave ■ 
 
 Warriour’s and 
 adiive brisk Men. 
 
 The Ehimaux. j - 
 
 0.4 
 
 A 
 

 Some "Hew Voyages 
 
 A Lift of the Animals sf the South Countries of Ca¬ 
 nada. 
 
 Wild Beeves. 
 
 Little Stags or Harts. 
 
 Roebucks of three different Species. 
 
 Wolves, fuch as we have in Europe. 
 
 Lynx’s, fuch as we have in Europe. 
 
 Michibichi, a fort of baftard Tygre. 
 
 Weefels as we ^ ave ' m E m pe. 
 
 Afh-colour'd Squirrels. 
 
 Hares. ? f uc h a s we have in Europe. 
 
 Rabbets. 5 
 
 Badgers, fuch as we have in Europe. 
 
 White Beavers, but very fcarce. 
 
 Reddifh Bears. 
 
 Musk Rats. 
 
 Reddifh Foxes, as in Europe. 
 
 Crocodiles in the Miffifipi. 
 
 Ojja , an Animal like a Hare, upon the Miffifipi. 
 
 A Lijl of the Animals of the North Countries of Canada. 
 
 Orignals or Elks. 
 
 Caribous or wild Affes. 
 
 Black Foxes. 
 
 Silver colour’d Foxes. 
 
 A fort of wild Cats, call’d Enfant du Diahle, or the 
 Devil’s Children. 
 
 Carcaious, an Animal not unlike a Badger, 
 Porcupines. 
 
 Fontereaux, an Amphibious fort of little Pole- 
 Cats. 
 
 Martins. 
 
 Pole-Cats, fuch as we have in Europe. 
 
 Black Bears. 
 
 White 
 
 ita 
 
White Bears. 
 
 Siffleurs, an Animal that makes a whizzing noife. 
 Flying Squirrels. 
 
 White Hares. 
 
 Beavers. 
 
 Otters. 
 
 Musk-Rats. 
 
 SuiJJe Squirrels, or a fort of Squirrels, whofe Hairre- 
 fembles a Suijfe's Doublet. 
 
 Great Harts. 
 
 Sea- Wolves or Calves. 
 
 A Defcription of fuch Animals or Beajh , as are not men¬ 
 tion d in the Letters. 
 
 The Animals 
 of the South 
 Countries . 
 
 T He Michibichi is a fort of Tyger, 
 only ’tislefs than the common Ty¬ 
 ger, and not fo much Ipeckl d. As loon 
 as it defcries a Man, it runs away, and climbs up 
 the firil Tree it meets with. It attacks all brute 
 Animals whatfoever, and conquers em with eafe ; 
 and, which is very fingular and peculiar to it above 
 all other Animals, it runs in to the afliftance of the 
 Savages, when they purfue Bears and wild Beeves; 
 upon fuch occafions it makes as if twere anratd 
 of no body, and fally’s out with fury upon the 
 hunted Animal. The Savages call thefe Animals a 
 fort of Manitous , that is, Spirits that love Men; and 
 ’tis upon that fcore they efteem and refpedt enito 
 fuch a degree, that they would choofe rather to die, 
 than to kill one of ’em. 
 
 The white Beavers are much valued, upon the ac¬ 
 count of their being uncommon, though at the 
 fame time, their Hair is neither fo large nor fo nne 
 as that of the common Beavers. As there are but 
 few of thefe white Beavers, fo thofe which are quite 
 black are very fqarce. ^ 
 
 
 ;JB 
 
 m 
 
 
 
- and more nimble than the latter. ^ 
 
 The Crocodiles of Mijjifipi, are exa&ly the fame fhe 
 with thofe of the Nile and other places. I have * 
 feen that Crocodile that is at Engolifaa in Aquitaine, it 
 and find that it has the fame figure with thefe, on- s i 
 ly ’tis fomewhat lefs. The moft ufual method that jia 
 the Savages have for taking ’em alive, is to throw ||| 
 great Wreaths or Cords made of the barks of Trees $ 
 with a running knot, upon their Neck, the middle lit 
 of their Body, their Paws, &c. After they are thus jjj 
 fiez’d, they fhut ’em up between ten or twelve jj 
 Stakes, and there tie ’em after their Belly is turn’d ijj 
 upwards. While they lie in this pofture, they flea 
 ’em without touching their Head or their Tail, and |( 
 give ’em a Coat of Fir-bark, to which they fet fire, y 
 having cut the Ropes that keep’d ’em faft. Upon 
 fuch occafions, thefe Animals make a fearful houl- 
 ing and crying. To conclude, the Savages are fre- 
 quently fwallow’d up by thefe Creatures, whether j. 
 in fwimming over a River, or in fleeping upon its vi 
 Banks. Ariofie in the 68 Diapafon of his i Song, j 
 gives this Defcription of a Crocodile. |j 
 
 i 
 
 Vive fub lito e dentro a la Riviera , £ 
 
 Ei Cor pi Umani fon le fue Vivande , s 
 
 De le Perfone mifere e incautc, 
 
 Di Viandanti e d'infelice naute. • 
 
 That is, it lives both in the River, and upon its $ 
 Banks; it fquafhes People with its murdering Tooth; £ 
 it feeds upon the Bodies of poor Travellers, of un¬ 
 fortunate Paflengers, and Sailours. j 
 
 The Ojja, are little Animals like Hares, and re- 
 femble ’em in every thing, excepting the Ears and 
 Hind-feet. They run, and cannot climb. Their 
 
 Females 
 

 The Aaitazls 
 or Beafts of the 
 North Com- 
 tries . 
 
 to North America. i$5 
 
 Females have a Bag under their Belly, where their 
 voune ones enter upon a purfuit, in order to fave 
 themfelves along with the Mother, who immedi¬ 
 ately betakes her felt to flight. 
 
 The Silver-colour’d Foxes are of the 
 fame (hape with thofe of Europe, as 
 well as the black ones. The black 
 ones are very fcarce, and whofoever # 
 catchesone, is fare to fell it for us we.ght in Go d. 
 This fpecies is met with only in the coldett Coun 
 
 ™The White Bears are a monftrous Animal, and ex¬ 
 traordinary long; their Head has a formidable At 
 ped, and their Hair is very large and thick , they 
 are fo fierce, that they’ll come and attack a Sloop 
 in the Sea, with feven or eight Men in “ 
 
 laid, that they’ll fwim fix or feven Leagues wnhou^ 
 being tyr’d. They live upon Fifli andSheUs upo 
 the Sea-fhoar, from whence they. ^orn ftragg 
 far. I never faw but one of em in my Lite-nmi , 
 which had certainly tore me to pieces. Jit I ha 
 not fpy’d it at a diftance, and fo had time to ru. 
 
 back tor fhelter to Fortin* at ? lace ” tia ' d 
 
 The Flying Squirrels are as big as a largeRat, an 
 of a greyilh white colour. They are as drou 1 , 
 thofe of the other Species are watchful. They a^ 
 call’d Flying Squirrels, in regard that they fy ho 
 
 one Tree to another, by the means of a certain Ski 
 
 which ftretches it felf out in the form of a Wing, 
 when they make thefe little Flights. 
 
 The WhiteHares are only fuchin Winter,for as f 
 as the Spring comes on, they begin to tur “ fg”"’ 
 and by degrees recover the fame colour as our " a 
 have in France, which they hold till the end of 
 
 Al The n suijfe Squirrels are httle Animus, refemblmg 
 little Rats. The Epithet of SuiJ]e is bellow dp 
 ’em, in regard that the Hair which covers t eir 
 
2^6 Some New Voyages 
 
 dy, is ftreak’d with black and white, and refem- 
 bles a SuiJJes Doublet; and that thefe ftreaks make 
 a ring on each Thigh, which bears a great deal of 
 refemblance to a Sulffe’s Cap. 
 
 The large Stags are neither higher nor thicker,than 
 thofe we have in Europe ; but they are call’d large 
 in proportion to two other Species of Harts that 
 frequent the Southern Countries. The leffer fort 
 affords the moft delicious Meat. 
 
 The Sea-Wolves , which fome call Sea-Calves , are 
 as big as Mafiiffs. They are almoft always in the 
 Water, or at lead they never go far from the Sea 
 fide. Thefe Animals do not walk fo much a $ they 
 crawl, for when they raife themfelves out of the Wa¬ 
 ter, they only creep upon the Sand or Clay. Their 
 Head has the form of an Otcer’s Head, and their 
 Feet, which have no Legs, refemble thofe of aGoofe. 
 The Female kind bring forth their young ones upon 
 the Rocks, or upon fome little Iflands, juft by the 
 Sea. The Sea-Wolves live upon Fifh, and refort to 
 cold Countries. There’s a prodigious number of 
 ’em about the Mouth of the River of St. Laurence. 
 
 As for the remaining Animals of Canada, I gave 
 you an account of ’em in my Letters. I will not 
 offer to fhew you What methods the Savages take to 
 catch or kill all thefe Animals, for fuch an under? 
 taking would be endlefs. This I can affure you of in 
 the general, that they rarely go a Hunting to no 
 purpofe, and that they make no ufe of their Dogs, 
 but in the Hunting of Elks, and fometimes in Hunt¬ 
 ing of Beavers, as you ihall fee under the Head of 
 the Diverfions of Hunting and Shooting among th$ 
 Savages, 
 
 !l? 
 
 IP 
 
 iff 
 
 d 
 
 rat 
 
 i 
 
 ii 
 
 * 
 
 ;s 
 
 it 
 
 » 
 
 i 
 
 ? 
 
 a 
 
 i 
 
 111 
 
 3 
 
 at 
 
 ii 
 
 0 ! 
 
 in 
 
 'i 
 
 f; 
 
 * 
 
 a 
 
 4 
 
 ! 
 
to Nort/; America. 
 
 A Lift °f Fowl or Eirds that frequent the South Coun¬ 
 
 tries of C^nsddi 
 
 Vultures. 
 
 Huards, a River-fowl as big as a Goofe. 
 
 Swans. -v 
 
 Black Geefe. / 
 
 Black Ducks.s. 
 
 Plungeons. \fuch as we have in Europe, 
 
 Coots. -* 
 
 Rayles. 
 
 Turkeys. 
 
 Red Partridges. 
 
 Pheafants. v 
 
 Large Eagles. 
 
 Cranes. 7 
 
 Blackbirds. >fuch as we have in Enropm 
 
 Thrufhes. S 
 
 Wood-Pigeons. 
 
 Parrots. 
 
 Swallows as we ^ ave * n Euro f e ‘ 
 
 Several forts of Birds of Prey that are not known 
 in Europe. 
 
 Nightingales unknown in Europe, as well asfeveral 
 other little Birds of different colours, particularly 
 that call’d Oifeau Mouche , a very little Bird refem- 
 bling a Fly j and great quantities of Pelicans. 
 
 The Birds of the North Countries of Canada, 
 
 “t=Gcerej fuch as we have in 
 Ducks of ten or twelv„e forts. 
 
 Teals. 
 
 Sea-Mews, 
 
 Grelans. 
 
 Sterlets. . 
 
 Sea- 
 
Some New Voyages 
 
 Sea-Parrots. 
 
 Moyacks. 
 
 Cormorants. ' 
 
 Heath-Cocks. 
 
 Snipes. 
 
 Plungeons. 
 
 Plovers. 
 
 Lapwings. >fuch as we have in Europe. 
 Herns. 
 
 Courbeious. 
 
 The Water- 
 Fowl call’d 
 Chevalier. j 
 
 Beateurs de Faux, a Fowl as big as a Quail. 
 White Partridges. 
 
 Large black Partridges. 
 
 Reddilh Partridges. 
 
 Woodhens. 
 
 Turtledoves. 
 
 White Ortolans, a Bird no bigger than a Lark. 
 RavenF'f^ch as we have in Europe. 
 
 Vultures. 
 
 Spar-Hawks. 
 
 Merlins. 
 
 Swallows. 
 
 Bees De Jcie, a fort of a Duck. 
 
 A Table of the Infects that are found in Canada. 
 
 Adders. 
 
 Afps. 
 
 Rattle-Snakes. 
 
 Lowing Frogs. 
 
 Gnats or Midges. 
 
 Gad-Bees. 
 
 Brulots or burning Hand worms. 
 
 A 
 
 
to North- America. 
 
 A Defcription of fuch Birds as are not accounted for in 
 my Letters. 
 
 The Fowl or 
 Birds of the 
 Southern Couth, 
 tries • 
 
 T H E Huards are a Frefh water-Fowl, 
 as big as aGoofe, and as dull and 
 heavy as an AG. They have black and 
 white Feathers, a pointed Beak, and a 
 very ftiortNeck. They only duck or divein the Sum¬ 
 mer, for they cannot ufe their Wings; and in that 
 Seafon, the Savages take the Diver fion of furround- 
 ing ’em with feven or eight Canows, difpers’d here 
 and there, and fo obliging ’em to dive down, when 
 they offer to come up to take breath. The Savages 
 have Entertain’d me feveral times with this agree¬ 
 able Amufement, during the courfe of the Voyages 
 I made with them. 
 
 The Red Partridges are wild and little, and much 
 different from the Red Partridge we have in Europe , as 
 well as the Pheafant, whofe Feathers being of a 
 white colour with black fpecks, make a very agree¬ 
 able diverfny. 
 
 The largeft Eagles we find in this Country, are 
 no bigger than Swans. Their Head and their Tail 
 white, and they have frequent Engagements 
 
 is 
 
 with a fort of Vultures, that commonly have the 
 better of it. In our Voyages we had frequent occafi- 
 ens of feeing thefe Ingagements, which laft as long as 
 the Eagle can keep up the force of its Wings. 
 
 The Parrots are met with in the Ilinefe Country, 
 and upon the River of MiJJifpi. They are very 
 fmall, and are the fame with thofe that we bring 
 from Brazil and Cayenne. 
 
 That fort of Nightingale that I faw, is of a pecu¬ 
 liar form ; for ’tis of a leffer fize than the European, 
 and of a blewifii colour, and its notes are more di- 
 verfified ; befides that, it lodges in the holes of 
 Trees, and four or five of ’em do commonly keep 
 
 together 
 
 
 !*■]'.. j 
 
 w,. 
 
 II 
 
 
 
240 Some New Voyages 
 
 together upon the thickeft Trees, and with joynf 
 Notes Warble o’er their Songs. 
 
 The Flylike Bird is no bigger than one’s Thumb, 
 and the colour of its Feathers is fo changeable, 
 that ’tis hard to fatten any one colour upon it. They 
 appear fometimes red, fometimes of a Gold colour, 
 at other times they are blew and red ; and proper¬ 
 ly fpeaking, ’tis only the brightnefs of the Sun that 
 makes us unfenfible of the change of its gold and 
 red colours. Its beak is as (harp as a Needle. It 
 flies from Flower to Flower, like a Bee, and by its 
 fluttering fucks the flowery Sap. Sometimes about 
 Noon it pearches upon the little branches of Plum- 
 trees or Cherry-trees. I have fent fome of ’em dead 
 to France, it being impoffible to keep ’em alive, and 
 they were look'd upon as a great Curiofity. 
 
 There are ten or twelve forts of 
 The Bird/ of £) uc ks in this Country. Thofe call’d 
 cL^r£ rn Branchus, are the fmalleft indeed, but 
 they are much the prettyeft. The Fea¬ 
 thers upon their Neck looks fo bright, by vertueof 
 the variety and livelinefs of their colours, that a Fur 
 of that nature would be invaluable in Mufcovy or 
 Turky. They owe the name of Branchus, to their 
 retting upon the branches of Trees. There s ano¬ 
 ther Species of Ducks in this Country, that are as 
 black as Jackdaws, only their Beak and the circle 
 of their Eyes are red. 
 
 The Seamews, Grelans and Sterlets , are Fowls that 
 fly incefiantly over Seas, Lakes, and Rivers, in or¬ 
 der to catch little Fifli. Their Flefli is good for no¬ 
 thing, befides that, they have no fubttance of Bo¬ 
 dy, though they feem to be as big as Pigeons. 
 
 The Sea-Varrots bear the name of Farms, upon 
 the account tha t their Beak is of the fame form 
 with that of the Land Farm. They never quit the 
 Sea or the Shoar; and are always flying upon the 
 furface of the Water, in queft of little Full. Their 
 
 colour 
 
 iot 
 
 * 
 
 V 
 
 w 
 
 Hi 
 
 ■d 
 
 ji* 
 
 sf 
 
 k 
 
 II 
 
 t 
 
 x 
 
 t 
 
 a 
 
 kc 
 
to 'North AmericaS-^ 241 
 
 colour is black, and their fizeis much the fame with 
 that of a Pullet. There are great numbers of ’em 
 upon the bank of Newfound- Land , and near the 
 Coaft of the Ifland, which the Seamen catch with 
 Hooks cover d with a Cod’s Roe, and hung over the 
 
 Prow of the Ship. 
 
 The Moyacks are a fort of Fowl, as big as a 
 Goofe, having a fliort Neck, and a broad Foot; 
 and which is very ftrange, their Eggs are half as big 
 again as a Swan’s, and yet they are all Yelk, and 
 that fo thick, that they mull be diluted with Water, 
 before they can be us’d in Pancakes. 
 
 The White Partridges, are as big as our red rf- 
 tridzes. Their Feet are cover’d with fuch a thick 
 down, that they refemble thofe of a young Rab¬ 
 bet. They are only feen in the Winter time, ana 
 fome years they are fcarce feen at all, though on 
 the other hand, in other years they are fo plenti¬ 
 ful, that you may buy a dozen for Nine- pence. 
 This is the moft ftupid Animal inthe World, 
 fits upon the Snow, and Coffers it felf to be knock d 
 on the head with a pole without offering to ltir. 
 
 I am of the opinion, that this unaccountable num- 
 nefs is occafion’d by its long flight from Greenland to 
 Canada. This conjedure is not altogether ground- 
 lefs, for ’tisobferv’d, that they never come in flocks 
 
 to Canada, but after the long continuance of a North 
 
 or a North-Eaft Wind. T , 
 
 The Black Partridges are truly very pretty. They 
 are bigger than ours; and their beak together with 
 the circle of the Eyes, and the Feet are ie > 
 plumage being of a Aiming black colour. “ 
 
 nimals are very proud, and feem to h 
 of their beauty as they walk. They are but very 
 uncommon, as well as the reddilh Partrs ges, 
 refemble Quails in their bulk and brisknels. # 
 
 The White Ortolans are only met wich in Winter, 
 but I am of the opinion, that their Feathers are na- 
 
Some New Voyages 
 
 turally of a white colour, and that they retrieve 
 their natural colour in the places they retire to, when ft 
 they disappear in Canada. They are indifferent 
 good to eat when they are fat, but that they feldom 
 are. In the Winter great quantities of ’em are ^ 
 catch’d about the Barns, with Nets ftretch’d out if 
 upon the Straw. § 
 
 sit 
 
 1A 
 
 Uij 
 
 A Defcription of the InJeBt of Canada. 
 
 T H E Adders of Canada do no harm at all. The $ 
 
 Afps indeed are very dangerou$,when the People ^ 
 
 bathe in the ftagnating Water towards the SouthCoun- $ 
 
 tries. The Rattle-Snake or Sounding Serpent is fo call’d,in 
 regard that at the extremity of its Tail> it has a fort p- 
 of a Cafe, containing certain bones which make j,, 
 fuch a noife when the Serpent creeps along, that 
 ’tis heard thirty Paces off. Thefe Serpents betake | 
 themfelves to flight when they hear the found of 
 Mens Feet, and commonly fleep in the Sun either ^ 
 in green Fields, or open Woods. They never fling 
 but when they are trod upon. y 
 
 The Lowing Frogs are fo call’d with refpeft to their 
 croaking, which founds like the lowing of an Oxe. 
 Thefe Frogs are twice as large as thofe we have in 
 Europe. The Canada Gad-Bees are a fort of Flies a- 
 bout twice as big as Bees ; but of the fame form with 
 a common Fly. They fling only between Noon, j| 
 and three a Clock in the Afternoon ; but then they 
 doit fo violently, that they fetch Blood. However, ^ 
 ’tis only upon certain Rivers that they are met with. 
 
 The Brulots are a fort of Hand-worms, which 
 cleave fo hard to the Skin, that their pricking occa- , 
 fions the fame fenfe, as if ’twere a burning Coal, or 
 a fpark of Fire. Thefe little Animals are unper- 
 ceivable, though at the fame time they are pretty 
 numerous. 
 
 The 
 
to North- America. 
 
 J 4 f 
 
 The Names of the Fijh in the River of St. Laurence^ 
 from its Mouth to the Lakes of Canada. 
 
 Balenots or little Whales. 
 
 A Filh almoft as big as a Whale, call’d Sovffleur. 
 White Porpoifes. 
 
 Salmon, fuch as we have in Europe. 
 
 Eels. 
 
 Maycrel, as in Europe. 
 
 Herrings. 
 
 Gafperots, a fmall Filh like a Herring* 
 
 Bafes. 
 
 Shad-filh. 
 
 Cod-filh. 
 
 Plaices. 
 
 Smelts. 
 
 Turbots. 
 
 IPikcs 
 
 The Gold-colour’d Filh. 
 
 Roaches. 
 
 Lampreys. 
 
 Merles orSea-Teneh. 
 
 Thombacks. 
 
 Cungars. 
 
 Sea-Cows, a kind of Porpoifes. 
 
 The Shell-Fslh . 
 
 Little Lobfters. 
 
 Crab-filh. 
 
 Cockles. 
 
 Mufcles. 
 
 The Fijh that are found in the Lakes of Canada, and ip 
 the Rivers that fall into 'em. 
 
 * 
 
 Sturgeons. 
 
 The Armed Filh* 
 
 Trouts, 
 
Some Hem Voyages 
 
 144 
 
 Trouts. 
 
 White-Fifli. 
 
 A fort of Herrings. 
 
 Eels. 
 
 Mullets. 
 
 Carp. 
 
 Gull-Fifh. 
 
 Gudgeons. 
 
 Tie Fiji) found in the River of Miffifipi. 
 
 Pikes, fuch as we have in Europe. 
 
 Carps. 
 
 Tench. 
 
 Perches. 
 
 Dabs, and feveral others that are not known m 
 Europe. 
 
 1 
 
 rifl) 
 
 iii' 
 
 ft 
 fie 
 it I 
 31* 
 
 I ft 
 st 
 
 II 
 
 aii 
 
 r 
 
 h 
 
 is 
 
 A Defcription of the Fijh that are not mention d in 
 Letters. 
 
 Thofebetween '“TpH E Balenot is a fort of a Whale, 
 the Mouth of only’tis lefs and more fleihy, and 
 
 thcK,v ‘ r ' an does not yield Oil in proportion to the 
 Northern Whales. This Fiih goes fifty 
 or fixty Leagues up the River. 
 
 The Seufjieurs are much of the fame fize, only 
 they are ihorter and blacker. When they mean to 
 take breath after diving, they fquirc out the Water 3 
 through a hole behind their Head, after the fame 1 
 manner with the Whales. Commonly, they dog ( 
 the Ships in the River of St. Laurence. t 
 
 The IVbite' Vorpoijts are as big as Oxen. They al¬ 
 ways go along with the Current; and go up with 
 the tide till they comeat frejh Water, upon which 
 they retire with the ebb Water. They are a ghaftly 
 fort of Animals, and are frequently taken before 
 Quebec. * The 
 
to North- America. 245 
 
 The Gafperots are a fmall Fifh, not unlike a Her¬ 
 ring. In the Summer time they make in to the fhoar 
 in fuch fhoals, that the Cod-fifhers take as many 
 of ’em as ferves for Bait for that Fifhery. Thefe 
 Fifhermen do likewife make ufe of Herrings, when 
 the feafon obliges them to put into the fhoar to 
 Spawn. In a word, all the Fifh that are made ufe 
 of for a Bait to make the Codfilh bice at the Hook, 
 are call’d Boete in the Fifhermens Dialed. 
 
 The Gold-colour d Fijli are nice Food. They are 
 about fifteen Inches long ; their Scales are yellow, 
 and they are valued very high. 
 
 The Sea-Cows , which are a fort of Porpoifes, are 
 bigger than the Normandy Beeves. They have a fort 
 of Paws cut like a Goole’s Foot, their Head refem- 
 bles that of an Otter; and their Teeth, which are 
 two Inches thick, and nine Inches long, are reck¬ 
 on’d the fineft Ivory that is. ’ Tis faid that they 
 range wide of the fhoar, towards Sandy and Marlhy 
 places. 
 
 The Lobfiers of this River feem to be exactly the 
 fame withthofe we have in Europe. 
 
 The Cockles are of a piece, with thofe we have 
 upon the coaft of France , excepting that they are 
 larger, and have a more agreeable tafte, though 
 their Flelh feems to partake more of crudity and 
 
 indigeftion. t . 
 
 The Mufcles of this kiver are prodigious large, 
 and tafte very well; but^next to an impoiitbility 
 to eat ’em without breaking one’s Teeth, by reaton 
 of their being fluff’d with Pearly I call it Pearl, tho 
 the name of Gravel or Sand may be more proper, 
 with refped to its value, for I brought to Pans htty 
 or fixtyof the largeft and fineft, which were rated 
 only at a penny a piece ; notwithftanding that we 
 had broke above two thoufand Mufcles to make up 
 that number. 
 
 The 
 
24"6 Some New Voyages 
 
 The Lake-Sturgeons are commonly five or fix Foot 
 long: But I once faw one of ten Foot, and ano¬ 
 ther of twelve in length. The Savages catch ’em 
 with Nets in the Winter, and Grapples in the Sum¬ 
 mer. ’Pis faid, they have a certain fort of Flelh a- 
 bout their Head, that tails like Beef, Mutton, and 
 Veal; but 1 have eat of it feveral times, and ne¬ 
 ver could obferve any fuch thing, which makes me 
 look upon the allegation as chimerical. 
 
 The Fijh in Armour , is about three Foot and a 
 half long. ’Tis defended by fuch ftrong and hard 
 Scales, that ’tis impoflible for any other Fifh to hurt 
 it. Its Enemies are Trouts and Roaches, but ’tis 
 admirably well provided for the repulfing of their 
 Attacks, by virtue of its pointed Snout, which is 
 a Foot long, and as hard as its Skin. It eats very 
 well, and its Flelh or Subltance is as firm as ’tis 
 white. 
 
 The Lake Dabs or Sandings are not above a Foot 
 long, but they are very thick all over. 7 hey are 
 call’d Barbues in French, with allufion to a certain 
 fort of Beards that hang down from the fide of their 
 Muzzle, and are as big as ears of Corn. Thofe 
 which we find in the River of Mijfifipi, are of a 
 monftreus lize. Both the one and the other are 
 catch’d with a Hook, as well as with a Net; and 
 make very good Vi&uals. 
 
 The AJijjifipi Carps are likewife of an extraordina¬ 
 ry fize, and admirably^^ell tailed. They are of 
 the fame form with ours. In the Autumn they put 
 in towards the ihoar, and are eafily catch’d with 
 a Net. 
 
 The larged trouts we meet with in the Lakes, are 
 five Foot and a half tong, and of one Foot Diameter. 
 Their flelh is red, and they are catch’d with great 
 Hooks made fall to pieces of Wire. 
 
 The Filh catch’d in the Lakes, are better than 
 thofe we take at Sea, or in the Rivers, particularly 
 ..... •••■ the 
 
to North America, 
 
 *4 7 
 
 the white Filh, which for goodnels and nice Eat¬ 
 ing, are far beyond all the other Species. The Sa¬ 
 vages that live upon the fides of thofe little frefh- 
 waterSeas, prefer the Broth of Filh, to Meat-broth, 
 when they areindifpos’d. This choice they ground 
 upon experience; whereas the French on the other 
 hand find that Venifon Broth is at once more fub- 
 ftantial and reftorative. 
 
 The Rivers of Canada are replenilh’d with an in¬ 
 finity of other filhes, that are not known in Europe. 
 The Filh catch’d in the North-Country Rivers, are 
 different from thofe of the South; and thofe taken 
 in the Long River , which difimbogues into the Ri¬ 
 ver of MiJJiJipi, favour fo rank of Mud and Clay, 
 that ’tis impoffible to eat of ’em; abating for a fort 
 of little Trouts that the Savages take in the adjacent 
 Lakes, which make a tolerable Mefs. 
 
 The Rivers of the Otentats , and the MiJJouru, pro¬ 
 duce fuch odd lhap'd filhes, that ’tis impoffible to 
 deferibe ’em without they were drawn upon Paper. 
 Thefe Filhes tails but forrily,and yet the Savages love 
 it mightily, which I take tp proceed from their know¬ 
 ing no better. 
 
 The Trees aud Fruits of the South Countries of Canada. 
 
 Beech-Trees.? fuch as we >h ave in Europe , 
 
 Red Oak. 5 
 Bitter Cherry-trees. 
 
 Maple-trees. 
 
 Alh-trees. 
 
 fuch as we have in Europe. 
 
 Nut-trees of two forts, 
 Chefnut-trees. 
 Apple-trees. 
 
 R 4 
 
 Pear trees 
 
Some TSLew Voyages 
 
 U 
 
 248 
 
 Pear-trees. 
 
 Plum-trees. 
 
 Cherry-trees. 
 
 Hazel-trees, fuch as we have in Europe. 
 Vines. 
 
 fort of Citrons. 
 
 Water Melons. 
 
 Sweet Citruls. 
 
 Wild Goofeberries- 
 Pine-apples. 
 
 Tobacco, fuch as our Spanifls Tobacco. 
 
 
 The Trees and Fruits of the North Countries of Canada. 
 
 White Oak. 
 
 Red Oak. 
 
 Birch-trees. 
 
 Bitter Cherry-trees. 
 
 Mapple-trees. 
 
 Pine-trees. 
 
 Epinettes. 
 
 Fir-trees of three forts. 
 Peruffes. 
 
 Cedar-trees. 
 
 Afpin-trees. 
 
 White Wood 
 Alder- trees.. 
 
 Maiden Hair 
 Strawberries. 
 Rasberries. 
 Goofeberries. 
 
 Bluets. 
 
 tb 
 
 ioj 
 
 T 
 
 1* 
 
 S 
 
 a 
 
 31s 
 
 t 
 
 tit 
 
 si 
 
 it 
 
 c 
 
 !tt 
 
 JB 
 
 :4 
 
 i 
 
 ij 
 
 iC 
 
 :: 
 
 X 
 
 s 
 
 i 
 
 li 
 
 K 
 
 1 
 
 i 
 t 
 
 ii 
 
 ________ a 
 
 ---- f 
 
 ^ Dejcription of the above-mention d Trees and Fruits. 
 
 Y O U mull remark, that all the Wood of 
 Canada is good of its kind. The Trees 
 that (land expos’d to the North-Winds are apt 
 
to North America. 249 
 
 to be influenc’d by the Froft, as it appears from the 
 chops and chinks that it occafions. 
 
 The Bitter Cherry-tree, has a hard and whitifh 
 Wood, with a grey Bark. Some of ’em are as tall 
 as the loftyeft Oaks, and as big as a Hoglhead. 
 This Tree grows ftreight; it has an oval Leaf, and 
 is made ufeof in Beams, Ratters, and other Car¬ 
 penter’s work. , _ ... , 
 
 The Muffle-tree is much of the lame height and 
 bulk; but it has a brown Bark, and the Wood is 
 reddifh. It bears no refemblance to that fort we have 
 in Europe. It yields a Sap, which has a much plea- 
 fanter tafte than the beft Limonade or Cherry-wa¬ 
 ter, and makes the wholfomeft drink in the World. 
 This Liquor is drawn by cutting the Tree two In¬ 
 ches deep in the Wood, the cut being run Hoping 
 to the length of ten or twelve Inches. At the lower 
 end of this galh, a Knife is thruft into the Tree 
 
 flopingly, fo that the water running along the Cut 
 
 or Galh, as through a Gutter, and falling upon the 
 Knife that lies acrofs the Channel, runs out upon 
 the Knife, which has Veffels plac’d underneath to 
 receive it. Some Trees will yield five or fix Bottles 
 of this water a Day; and fome Inhabitants o» Ca¬ 
 nada, might draw twenty Hoglheads of j c ,n ° nc 
 day, if they would thus cur and notch all the Map- 
 pies of their refpedtive Plantations. The galh do s 
 no harm to the Tree. Of this Sap they ma e Su¬ 
 gar and Syrup, which isfo valuable, that there can t 
 be a better remedy for fortifying the Stomach, lis 
 but few of the Inhabitants that have the patience 
 to make Maffle-Water , for as common and ulual 
 things are always flighted, fo there s fcarce any o- 
 dy but Children that give themfelves the trouble ot 
 galhing thefeTrees. To conclude, the North-Coun¬ 
 try Muffles have more Sap than thofe of the South 
 Countries; but at the fame time the Sap is not 
 
 fw “‘- • There 
 
 
2^0 Some New Voyages 
 
 There are two forts of Nut-trees in this Country. 
 
 The one bears round, and the other long. Nuts j it 
 but neither of ’em is good for any thing, no more }» 
 than the wild Chefnuts that grow, in the llintft ^ 
 Country. '* 
 
 The Apples that grow upon fome of their Ap¬ 
 ple-trees, eat well when they are Codied, but they i J 
 
 are good for nothing when they’re Raw. Upon (*' 
 
 the Mtffifipi indeed, there’s a fort of Apples that have |,' 
 
 a tafte not unlike that of fome European Apples. The te 
 
 Pears are good, but very fcarce. sr 
 
 The Cherries are fmall, and extream red ; and II 
 though their tafte is not good, yet the Roe-bucks h 
 like ’em fo well, that in the Summer time they fcarce 4 
 ever mifs to lye under the Cherry-trees all Night sj 
 Ion? efpecially if it blows hard. Is: 
 
 This Country affords three forts of excellent Plums, i, 
 which bear no refemblance to ours either in figure T 
 or colour. Some are long and fmall, fome are round a 
 and thick, and fome very little. : 
 
 The Vines twine round the Treesto the very top; « 
 
 and the Branches of thofe Trees are fo cover’d with 
 Crapes, that one would take the Grape to be the si 
 
 fruit of the Tree. In fome Countries of North- j 
 
 America, the Grape is little, but very well tailed1 j 
 but towards the M>JJiJipi, tis long and thick, and fo !j 
 
 is the duller. There has been fome Wine prefs’d B 
 
 from the Grapes of that Country, which after long 
 (landing became as fweet as Canary, and asblacK 
 as Ink. 
 
 TheCitronsof 'Horth-America are focalld, only 
 becaufe their form refembles that of our Citron. j 
 Inftead of a Rind, they have only a finglc $kin. They 
 grow upon a Plant that rifes three Foo.t high,and do s 
 not bear above three or four at a time. This Fruit 
 is as wholfom as its Root is dangerous; for the one 
 is very Healthy, and the juice of the other is a mor¬ 
 tal fubtile Poyfon. While I flay’d at Fort From- 
 
to North America. 
 
 
 nac, in the year 1684 , I faw an Irocjuefe Woman 
 take down this fatal Potion, with a defign to fol¬ 
 low her deceas’d Husband ; after fiie had took leave 
 of her Friends, and fung the Death Song, with the 
 Formalities that are ufual among thefe blind Wretch¬ 
 es. The Poifon quickly work’d the defir d effe& ; 
 for this Widdow, who in Europe would be juffly 
 look’d upon as a miracle of Conftancy and Fideli¬ 
 ty had no fooner fwallowed the murdering Juice, 
 than file fell into two or three ftiivering Fits, and lo 
 
 eX *The Water-Melons, call’d by the Spaniards Algiers 
 Melons, are round and thick like a Ball; fome are 
 red, and fome white, and the kernels, which are 
 very large, are fometimes black, fometimes red. 
 As for their tafte, ’tis exaftly the fame with that ot 
 the Spanijl > or Portuguese Melons. 
 
 The Citruls of this Country are fweet, and ot a 
 different nature from thofeof Europe j and 1 m in¬ 
 form’d, that the American Citruls will not grow m 
 Europe. They are as big as our Melons ; and their 
 Pulp is as yellow as Saffron. Commonly they ^are 
 bak'd in Ovens, but the better way is to roaft em 
 under the Embers, as the Savages do. Their tafte 
 is much the fame with that of the Marmela e 
 Apples, only they are fweeter. One may eat as 
 much of ’em as he pieafes, without fearing any dil- 
 
 order from ’em. ,. l 1i4> 
 
 The wild Goofeberries are good for nothing, but 
 for Confits: But that fort of Confits are f eld .o™ 
 ftiade, for Sugar is too dear in Car»<*da 3 to oe i • 
 ploy’d forfuch ufes. 
 
 A 
 
2 j 2 Some New Voyages 
 
 A Defer ipt ion of the Trees and Fruits of the Northern Court- 
 
 H E Canada Birch-trees are much different from 
 
 1 thofe we have in fome Provinces of France ; 
 both for bulk and quality. The Savages make Ca- 
 nowsof their Bark, fome of which is red, and fome 
 
 J 9 
 
 white; but both are equally proper for that ufe. ^ 
 That which has the feweft Veins and Chops, is the 
 bell : but the red bark makes the fineft fhow. There 
 are fome little Baskets made of the young Birches, ; 
 
 white; but both are equally proper for that ufe. 
 
 that are much efteem’d in France ; and Books may be 
 made of ’em, the Leaves of which will be as fine 
 
 as Paper. This I can fpeak by experience, for I s 
 have frequently made ufe of ’em for want of Pa¬ 
 per, in writing the Journal of my Voyages. Nay, 
 
 I remember I have feen in a certain Library in 
 France , a Manufcript of the Gofpel of St. Matthew , 
 written in Greek upon this fort of Bark ; and, which 
 is yet more furpiifing, I was then told, that it had 
 been written above a thoufand years; and at the 
 fame time I dare fwear, that ’twas the Genuine 
 Birch-bark of New-F><»«ce, which in all appearance t 
 was not then difeover’d. '<■ 
 
 The Pine-trees are very tall, ftraight, and thick ; 
 and are made ufe of for Malls, which the King’s 
 Pinks do oftentimes tranfport to France. ’Tis faid, 
 that fome of thefe Trees are big enough, to ferve 
 for a Mall to a Firft-rate Ship. 
 
 The Efsnette is a fort of a Pine, with a fliarper and 
 thicker Leaf. ’Tis made ufe of in Carpenters work, 
 and the matter which drains from it, fmells as fweet 
 as Incenfe. 
 
 There are three forts of Fsrs in this Country, which 
 are faw’d into Dales by certain Mills, that the Que¬ 
 bec Merchants have caus’d to be built in fome 
 places. 
 
 The 
 
to North- America. 25$ 
 
 The TeruJJe is the propereft of all green Woods 
 for the building of Ships, upon the confideration that 
 ’cis comparer, and has clofer Pores, fo that it do’s 
 not foak or drink in the moifture as much as others. 
 
 Here are two forts of Cedar-, namely, the white 
 and the red ; but one mult view ’em narrowly be¬ 
 fore he can diftinguifli ’em, by reafon that both 
 of ’em have much the fame fort of Bark. Thefe 
 Trees are low, buihy, and full of Branches and lit¬ 
 tle Leaves, refembling the tag of a Lace. The Wood 
 of this Tree, is almoft as light as Cork ; and the 
 Savages make ufe of it in the Wreaths and Ribs of 
 their Canows. The red fort looks admirably well, 
 and may be made into Houlhold-Goods, which will 
 retain an agreeable fmell for ever. 
 
 The J/ps are little Shrubs, which grow upon the 
 Tides of Pools or Rivers; and in a word , m 
 moift and marrtiy Countries. This Wood is the 
 common food of the Beavers, who, in imitation or 
 the Ants, take care to make a collection of it round 
 their Hutts in the Autumn, which ferves’em Tor 
 fuftenance when the Ice imprifons em in Winter. ^ 
 
 The White Wood is a midling fort of Tree, that s 
 neither too big nor too little. Tis almcft as light, 
 as Cedar, and as eafily work’d upon. The Inha¬ 
 bitants of Canada make little Canows of it, lor tim¬ 
 ing and eroding the Rivers.. 
 
 Maidenhair is as common in the Forrefts ot Cana¬ 
 da, as Fern is in thofe of France, and is elteem d be¬ 
 yond that of other Countries; infomuch, that the 
 Inhabitants of Quebec prepare great quantities ot its 
 Syrup, which they fend to Paris, JSanis, Rouan, and 
 feveral other Cities in France. . 
 
 Strawberries and Rasberries, are wonderfully plenti¬ 
 ful in Canada, and tade extream well. We meet 
 likewile with fome white Goofeberries in this Coun 
 try} but they ferve for no ufe, unlefs it be to make a. 
 fort of Vinegar of ’em, that is very ltrong. ^ 
 
2.^4 Some 'New Voyages 
 
 The Bluets are certain little Berries, not unlike 
 fmall Cherries, only they are black, and perfe&ly 
 round. The Plant upon which they grow, is as big 
 as a Rasberry-bulh. Thefe Berries fervc for feveral 
 ufes, alter they are dry’d in the Sun, or in an Oven j 
 for then they make Confits of ’em, or put ’em into ]| 
 Pyes, or infufe ’em in Brandy. The North-Coun¬ 
 try Savages make a Crop of ’em in the Summer, 
 which affords 'em very fealonable relief, efpecially 
 when their hunting comes Ihort. 
 
 A General View of tbe Commerce of Canada. 
 
 I Come now to give a brief and general account 
 of the Commerce of Canada , which I have al¬ 
 ready touch’d upon in my Letters. The Normans 
 were the firft that fet up this trade, and ufuilly they 
 i fet out from Havre de Grace, or Dieppe ; but the Ro- 
 chillers have now work’d ’em out ot it, for as much 
 as the Rochel Ships furnifh the Inhabitants of that ‘ 
 Continent with the necefl’ary Commodities. There 
 are likewife fome Ships fent to Canada from Bor¬ 
 deaux and Bayonne , with Wines, Brandy, Tobacco, 
 and Iron. 
 
 The Ships bound from Franco to that Country, 
 pay no CuUom for their Cargo, whether in clear¬ 
 ing in France , or in their entries at Quebec $ abating 
 for the Braz.il Tobacco which pays five Sols a pounds 
 that is to fay, a Roll of 400 pound weight, pays a 
 hundred Livres by way of Entry, to the Office of 
 the Farmers-General. 
 
 Moff of the Ships go laden to Canada, and return 
 light or empty. Some indeed bring home Peafe 
 when they are good cheap in the Colony, and o- 
 thers take in a Cargo of Planks and Boards: Ocheis 
 again go to the lfland of Cape Breton, and there 
 
 take 
 
 ^ ft' ** 
 
to North- America. 255 
 
 take in a Cargoe of Pit-Coal, which they ?arry to 
 the Iflands of Martinico or Guardaloupa, where the 
 refining of Sugars occafions a great confumption of 
 Coals. But thofe Ships which either belong, or are 
 recommended to the topping Merchants of the Co¬ 
 lony, are fraughted with Skins, which turns to a 
 great account. I have feen fome Ships unload at 
 Quebec, and then fteer to Placentia , to take in Cod- 
 filh which they purchas’d with ready Mony; but 
 generally fpeaking, there’s more loft than got by that 
 way of trading. The Merchant that has carried 
 on the greateft trade in Canada , is the Sieur Samuel 
 Bernon of Rocbel, who has great Ware-Houfes at 
 Quebec , from which the Inhabitants of the other 
 Towns are fupplied with fuch Commodities as they 
 want. ’Tis true, there are fome Merchants at Que¬ 
 bec , who are indifferent rich, and fit out Ships upon 
 their own bottom, that ply to and again between 
 France and Canada ; and thefe Merchants have their 
 Correfpondents at Rochel , who fend out and take in 
 every year the Cargoes of their Ships, 
 
 There’s no difference between the Pyrates that 
 fcowr the Seas, and the Canada Merchants j unlefs 
 it be this, that the former fometimes inrich ’emfelves 
 all of a fudden by a good Prize; and that the lat¬ 
 ter can’t make their fortune without trading for five 
 or fix years, and that without running the hazard 
 of their Lives. I have known twenty little Ped¬ 
 lars that had not above a thoufand Crowns ftock 
 when I arriv’d at Quebec, in the year 1685 ; and 
 when I left that place, had got to the tune of 
 twelve thoufand Crowns. ’Tis an unqueftion’d truth, 
 that they get fifty per Cent upon all the Goods they 
 deal in, whether they buy ’em up upon the arrival 
 of the Ships at Quebec, or have’em from France by 
 way of Commiffion $ but over and above that, 
 there are fome little gaudy Trinkets, fuch as Rib¬ 
 bands, Laces, Embroideries, Tobacco-Boxes, Watch¬ 
 es* 
 
 ^V\ 
 
/ 
 
 J Some New Voyages 
 
 cs, and an infinity of other baubles of Iron Ware, ^ 
 upon which they get a hundred and fifty fer Cent , ® 
 all Cofts clear. 
 
 In this Country a Hogfhead of Bourdeaux Wine, *- 
 which contains 2jo Bottles, is worth about forty f 
 French Livres, in time of Peace, and fixty in time $ 
 
 of War. A Hogfhead of Nants or Bayonne Brandy, » 
 
 will fetch 80 or a 100 Livres. In the Taverns a \ 
 Bottle of Wine cofts fix French Sous, and a Bottle 
 of Brandy is fold for twenty. As for dry Com¬ 
 modities, their price rifes and falls upon occafion. 
 Brazil Tobacco is worth 40 Sous a pound by way 
 of Retail, and 3 f by Wholefale Sugar will fetch t 
 at leaft 20 Sous a pound, and fometimes 2 y or 30. 
 
 The earlieft Ships that come from France, fet ou a 
 commonly in the latter end of April, or the beginning :l 
 
 of May; but to my mind, they might fhortentheir 
 Voyage by one half, if they put to Sea about the 
 middle of March, and then fweep’d along the North 
 Coaft of the Azores lflands} for in thofe Seas the 
 South and South-Eaft Winds commonly blow from 
 the beginning of April, to the end of May. I have 
 mention’d this feveral times to the moft expert Pi- a 
 lots 5 but they ftill put me off with the plea, that f 
 
 they dare not fteer that Courfe for fear of fome j 
 
 Rocks: And yet thefe Rocks are not to be met with 
 but in their Charts. I have read fome Defcripti- 1 
 ons of the Ports, Roads, and Coafts of thefe lflands, - 
 and of the adjacent Seas, done by the Portuguese, 
 which make no mention of the Shelves that are 
 chalk’d down in all our Charts: On the contrary, 
 they affirm that the Coaft of thefe lflands isalto- t 
 gether clear, and that for twenty Leagues off into j 
 the Main, thefe imaginary Rocks were never met 
 with. 
 
 As foon as the French Ships arrive at Quebec, the 
 Merchants of that City who have their Factours in 
 the other Towns, load their Barques with Goods in 
 
 order 
 
to North- Amer'icar - '^ 2 57 
 
 order to tranfport ’em to thefe other Towns. Such 
 Merchants as a<£t for themfelves at Trots Riviera, or 
 Monreal, they come down in Perfon to Quebec to Mar¬ 
 ket for themfelves,and then put their Effects on board 
 ofBarques,to be convey’d home. If they pay for their 
 Goods in Skins, they buy cheaper than if they made 
 their payments in Money or Letters of Exchange ; 
 by reafen that the Seller gets confiderably by the 
 Skins when he returns to France. Now, you mull 
 take notice, that all thefe Skins are bought up from 
 the Inhabitants, or from the Savages, upon which the 
 Merchants are confiderable Gainers. To give you 
 an inftance of this matter. A Perfon that lives in the 
 Neighbourhood of Quebec, carries a dozen of Mar¬ 
 tins Skins, five or fix Foxes Skins, and as many Skins 
 of wild Cats, to a Merchants Houfe, in order to 
 fell ’em for Woollen Cloth, Linnen, Arms, Ammu¬ 
 nition, &c. In the truck of thefe Skins, the Mer¬ 
 chant draws a double profit, one upon the fcore of 
 his paying no more for the Skins, than one hall of 
 what he afterwards fells’em for in the lump to the 
 Favours for the Rochel Ships; and the other by the 
 exorbitant rate he puts upon the Goods that the 
 poor Planter takes in exchange for his Skins. II this 
 be duly weigh’d, we will not think it ftrange that 
 thefe Merchants have a more beneficial Trade, than 
 a great many other Tradefmen in the W ond. In 
 my feventh and eighth Letter, I related the particu¬ 
 lars of the Commerce of this Country, efpecially 
 that which the Inhabitants carry on with the Sava¬ 
 ges, who fupply ’em with the Skins of Beavers, and 
 other Animals. So that now it remains only to 
 give you an Inventory of the Goods that are pro¬ 
 per for the Savages, and of the Skins which they 
 give in exchange, together with their neat Pncvs. 
 
 Short 
 
 I 
 

 C7 
 
 2^8 Some Nem Voyages 
 
 Short and light Fufees. 
 
 Powder. 
 
 Ball and cut Lead, or Small-mot. 
 
 Axes both great and fmall. 
 
 Knives with their Sheaths. 
 
 Sword-blades to makeDarts of. 
 
 Kettles of all frzes. 
 
 Shoomakers Awls. 
 
 Fifli-hooks, of all fizes. 
 
 Flint Stones. 
 
 Caps of blew Serge. 
 
 Shirts made of the common Brittany Linnen. 
 Woolfted Stockins, fliort and coarfe. 
 
 Brafil Tobacco. 
 
 Coarfe white Thread for Nets. 
 
 Sewing Thread of feveral colours. 
 Pack-thread. 
 
 Vermillion. 
 
 Needles, both large and fmall. 
 
 Venice Beads. 
 
 Some Iron Heads for Arrows, but few ot em. 
 A fmall quantity of Soap. 
 
 A lew Sabres or Cutlafles. 
 
 Brandy goes off incomparably well. 
 
 The Names of the Skins given in exchange, with their 
 Rates. 
 
 T il E Skins of Winter Beavers, alias Mufcavy 
 Beavers, are worth per pound in the Farmer Ge¬ 
 nerals Warehoufe. -- 4 Livres. 10 Sous. 
 
 The Skins ot fat Beavers, the Hair of which falls 
 off, while the Savages make ufe of ’em, per pound > 
 - - - y L. o S. 
 
 Of Beavers taken in Autumn, per pound 3 10 
 
 Of 
 
to North- America. 259 
 
 Livres. Sous. 
 
 Of dry or common Beavers, per pound 3 o 
 
 Of Summer Beavers, per pound. ' - 3 o 
 
 The Skin of a white Beaver is not to be valued, 
 no more than that of a Fox that’s quite black. 
 
 The Skins of Silver-colour’d Foxes a piece. 4 o 
 Of common Foxes, in good order, 2 o 
 
 Of the common Martins. - 1 o 
 
 Of the prettyeft fort of Martins. 4 o 
 
 Of red and fmooth Otters. -* 2 o 
 
 Of the Winter and brown Otters. — 4 10 
 
 or more. 
 
 Of the fineft black Bears. •— 7 0 
 
 The Skins of Elks before they’re drefs’d, are worth 
 
 per pound about. - - ° 12 
 
 The Skins of Stags are worth per pound about o 8 
 
 The wild Cats or Enfans de Diable, a piece i if 
 
 Sea Wolves —— a piece. - 1 I f 
 
 or more. 
 
 Pole-Cats, and Weafels - 0 IO 
 
 Musk Rats. •—- —— ° 
 
 Their Tefticles. - —of 
 
 Wolves. —- —“— 1 2 IO 
 
 The white Elk-skins, i. e. thofe drefs’d by the Sava¬ 
 ges a piece --- --- 8orm. 
 
 A drefs’d Harts Skin is worth - form. 
 
 A Caribous • ■ 6 
 
 A Roe-buck’s - 3 
 
 To conclude, you mud take notice that thefe 
 Skins are upon fome particular occafions dearer than 
 I rate ’em, but the difference is but very fmall, 
 whether under or over. 
 
 S * 
 
 'An 
 
Some Hew Voyages 
 
 An Account of the Government of Canada in Gt- 
 neral. 
 
 I N Canada, the Politick, Civil, Ecclefiaftical and 
 Military Government, are all in a manner one 
 thing, in regard, that the wifeft Governours have 
 fubjeded their Authority to that of the Ecclefi- 
 ajiicki ; and fuch Governours as would not itnbarque 
 in tha’t Intereft, have found their Poft fo uneafie, 
 that they have been recall’d with difgrace. 1 could 
 in fiance in feveral, who for not adhering to the 
 Sentiments of the Bifhop and the Jefuits, and for 
 refufing to lodge their Power in the hands of thefe 
 infallible Gentlemen, have been turn’d out, and 
 treated at Court like hot-headed Incendiaries. Mr. 
 de Frontenac was one of this number, who made fuch 
 an unhappy exit; for he fell cut with Mr. Duchef- 
 nau , Intendant of that Country, who findinghim- 
 felf protected by the Clergy, indultrioufly intuited 
 that illuftrious General; and the General was forcd 
 to give way, under the weight of an Ecclefiaftical 
 League, by reafon of the Springs they fet at work 
 again ft him, in oppofition to all the principles of Ho¬ 
 nour and Confcience. 
 
 ' The Governour General that means to neglect no 
 opportunity of advancing or inriching themfelves, 
 do commonly hear two Mafles a Day, and are ob¬ 
 lig’d to confefs once in four and twenty hours. 
 He has always Clergy-men hanging about him 
 where-ever he goes, and indeed properly ipeaking, 
 they are his Counfellours. When a Governour is 
 thus back’d by the Clergy; the Intenaants, the Un¬ 
 der- Governours, and the Sovereign Council, dare s 
 not cenfure his Condud, let it be never fo faulty ; 
 for the protection of the Eccleftafticks, flielters him 
 from all the charges that can be laid againft him. 
 
 The Governour General of Quebec, has twenty 
 thoufand Crowns a year, including the pay of his 
 
 Com- 
 
to Nortb-AmcxioL. 261 
 
 Company of Guards, and the particular Govern¬ 
 ment of the Fort. Over and above this Income, 
 the Farmers of the lieaver-Skins make him a Pre- 
 fent of a thoufand Crowns a year ; his Wines and 
 ail his other Provifions imported from France pay no 
 Fraight ; not to mention that by certain ways and 
 means he fucks as much Money out of the Coun¬ 
 try, as all the above-mention’d Articles amount to. 
 The Intendant has eighteen thoufand Livres a year; 
 but the Lord knows what he makes otherwife: 
 
 I have no mind to touch there, for fear of being 
 rank’d among thofe Detractors, who fpeak the 
 truth too fincerely. The Bifhops Incomes are fo 
 fmall, that if the King were not gracioufly pleas’d 
 to add to his Bilhoprick fome other Benefices in 
 France , that Reverend Prelate would be reduc’d 
 to as fhort Commons, as a hundred of his Chara¬ 
 cter are in the Kingdom of Naples. The Major of 
 Quebec has fix hundred Crowns a year, the Gover- 
 nour of Frois Rivieres has a thoufand ; and the Go- 
 vernourof Monreal is allow’d two thoufand. A Cap¬ 
 tain has a hundred and twenty Livres a Month,a Lieu¬ 
 tenant ninety Livres, a reform’d Lieutenant is al¬ 
 low’d but forty, and a common Soldier’s pay is fix 
 Sous a Day, of the current Money of the Country. 
 
 The People repofea great deal of confidence in 
 the Clergy in this Country as well as elfewhere. 
 Here the outward fhew of Devotion is ftriCtly ob- 
 ferv’d, for the People dare not abfent from the great 
 Maffesand Sermons, without a lawful Lxcufc. But 
 after all, ’tis at the time of Divine Service, that the 
 married Women and Maids give their humours a 
 full loofe, as being affur’d that their Husbands and 
 Mothers are bufie at Church. The Prielis call Peo¬ 
 ple by their names in the Pulpit; they prohibit un¬ 
 der the pain of Excommunication, the reading ot 
 Romances and Plays, as well as the ufe of Masks, 
 and playute at Ombre or Lanfquenet. Thejeiu- 
 
 r S 3 lts 
 
2 61 Some New Voyages 
 
 its and the Recollets agree as ill as the Molinirts 
 and the Janfenifts. The former pretend that the i 
 latter have no right to confefs. Do but look back i 
 to my eighth Letter, and there you’ll fee fome in- t 
 fiances of the indifcreet zeal of the Ecclefiafticks. 
 
 The Governour General has the difpofal of all 
 Military Ports; He beftows Companies, Lieute- o 
 nancies, and Under-Lieutenancies, upon who he c 
 pleafes, with his Majefty’s gracious Approbation; 
 but he is not allow’d to difpofe of particular Gover- 
 nourfhips, or of the place of a Lord Lieutenant of 
 a Province, or of the Major of any Town. He is 
 impower’d to grant to the Gentry and the other In- | 
 
 habitants, Lands and Settlements all over Canada ; - 
 
 but thefe Grants muft be given in concert with the 
 Intendant. He is likewife authoris’d to give five and 
 twenty Licences a year to whom he thinks fit, for 
 trading with the Savage Nations of that vaft Con¬ 
 tinent. He is inverted with the power of fufpend- 
 ing the execution of Sentences againft Criminals; 
 and by vertue of this Reprieve, can eafily pro¬ 
 cure ’em a Pardon, if he has a mind to favour em. 
 
 But he can’t difpofe of the King’s Money, without 
 the confent of the Intendant, who is the only Man 
 that can call it out of the hands of the Treafurer of 
 the Navy. 
 
 The Governour General can’t be without the ler- 
 vice of the Jefuits, in making Treaties with the Go- 
 vernours of Nav-England, and New-York, as well as 
 with the Iroquefe. I am at a lofs to know, whether 
 thefe good Fathers are imploy’d in fuch Services, 
 upon thefcore of their judicious Counfels, and their 
 being perfe<rtly well acquainted with the Country, 
 and the King’s true interefts; or upon the confi- 
 deration of their fpeaking to a Miracle, the Lan¬ 
 guages of fo many different Nations, whofe inte- 
 reft are quite oppolite ; or out of a fenfe of that con- 
 defcenfion and fubmiflton, that is due to thefe wort hy 
 Companions of our Saviour. The 
 
to North- America. 16$ 
 
 The Members of thefupreme Council of Cana¬ 
 da, can’t fell or convey their Places to their Heirs, or 
 to any body elfe without the King’s approbation ; 
 though at the fame time their places may be worth 
 not fo much as the place of a Lieutenant to a Compa¬ 
 ny of Foot. When they have nice points under 
 their confideration, they ufually confulc thePriefts 
 or Jefuits: And if any caufe comes before ’em, in 
 which thefe good Fathers are interefs’d, they are 
 fure not to be caft, unlefs it be fo very black, that 
 the cunningeft Lawyer can’t give it a plaufible turn. 
 I’ve been inform’d by feveral Perfons, that the Je¬ 
 fuits drive a great trade in European Commodities, 
 and Canada Skins j but lean fcarce believe it, or at 
 lead if it be fo, they muft have Correspondents 
 and Faftors that are as clofe and cunning as 
 themfelves; which can never be. 
 
 The Gentlemen of that Country, are oblig d to 
 be very cautious in carrying even with the Eccleji- 
 ajlicks, in refped of the good or harm that the good 
 Fathers can indirectly throw in their way. lhe 
 Bifhop and the Jefuits have fuch an influence over 
 the Governours General, as is fuflicient to procure 
 places to the Children of the Noblemen or Gentle¬ 
 men that are devoted to their Service,. or to obtain 
 the Licences that I fpoke of in my eighth Letter. 
 ’Tis likewife in their power to ferve the Daughters 
 of fuch Gentlemen, by finding ’em agreeab.e and 
 rich Husbands. The meaneft Curates muft be ma¬ 
 nag’d cautioufly, for they can either ferve ordiilerve 
 the Gentlemen, in whofe Seignories they are no more 
 than Miffionaries, there being no fix d Cures in La- 
 ntda, which indeed is a grievance mat ought to be 
 redrefs’d. The Officers of the Army are hkewite 
 oblig’d to keep up a good correspondence with the 
 Ecdefiafticks , for without that ’tis impoffible for em 
 to keep their ground. They muft not only take 
 care that their own conduit be tegular; but hkewtfs 
 
 S 4 1C0K 
 
N Some New Voyages 
 
 look after that of the Soldiers, by preventing the j 
 Disorders they might commit in their Quarters. 
 
 Commonly the Troops are quarter’d upon the In- >" 
 habitants of the Cotes, or Seignories of Canada, from j? 
 Ottcber\o May. The Mailer of the Hopfe furnilhes 
 his Military Guefts only with Utenfils, and imploys j 
 him all the while at the rate of ten Sous a Day befides 
 his Victuals, in the cutting of Wood, grubbingup J 
 of Giounds, rooting out Stumps, or the threih- 
 ing of Corn in a Barn. The Captain gets likewife 
 by thei" work; for to make em difeount the half of 
 their pay to him, he orders ’em to come thrice a 
 Week to exercife their Arms at his Quarters. Now, 
 their Habitations being diftant four or five Arpents 
 from one another, and one Cote or Seignory being 1 
 two or three Leagues in Front, the Soldiers choofe 
 rather to give the Captain a fpill, than to walk fofar 
 in the Snow and the Dirt: And the Captain takes 
 it very confcientioufly, upon the plea that 'Vtolenti 
 non jit injuria. As for fuch Soldiers as are good 
 Tradefmen, he’s fure of putting their whole pay in 
 his Pocket, by vertueof a Licence that he gives ’em 
 to work in the Towns, or any where elfe. In fine, 
 mod of the Officers marry in this Country, but God 
 knows what fort of Marriages they make, in taking 
 Girls with a Dowry, confifting of eleven Crowns, a 
 Cock, a Hen, an Ox, a Cow, and fometimes a 
 Calf. I knew feveral young Women, whofe Lov¬ 
 ers, after denying the FaA, and proving before the 
 Judges the fcandalous Converfation of their Miffref- 
 fes, were forc’d upon the perfwafion of the Eccle- 
 ftajiicks to fwallow the bitter Pill, and take the very 
 fame Girls in Marriage. Some Officers indeed marry 
 well, but there are few fuch. The occafion of their 
 marrying fo readily in that Country, proceeds from 
 the difficulty of converfing with the foft Sex. After 
 a Man has made four Vifits to a young Woman, he 
 is oblig’d to unfoljl his Mind to her Father and Mo- 
 
to North America. %6 $ 
 
 ther; be muft then either talk of Marriage, or break 
 off all Correfpondence ; or if he do’s not, both he 
 and flie lies under a Scandal. In this Country a Man 
 can’t vifit another Man’s Wife, without being cen- 
 fur’d, as if her Husband was a Cuckold. In fine, 
 a Man can meet with no diverfion here, but that ♦ 
 of reading, or eating, or drinking. Though after 
 all, there are fome Intrigues carry’d on, but with 
 the fame caution as in Spam, where the vertue of 
 the Ladies confifts only in difguifing the matter hand- 
 
 Now, that I am upon the Subject of Marriage, 
 leant forbear to acquaint you with a comical Ad¬ 
 venture that happen’d to a young Captain, who 
 was prefs’d to marry againft his will, becaule all ms 
 
 Companions and Acquaintances were already buck¬ 
 led. This young Officer having made lome Vilits 
 to a Couniellor’s Daughter, he was defir d to tell 
 what Errand he came upon ; and Mr. <Ie Frcnuvac 
 himfelf, being related to the young Lady who is 
 certainly one of the molt accomphfh d Ladies ot 
 this Age, us’d his utmoit efforts to ingage the Cap¬ 
 tain to marry her. The Captain being equally 
 well pleas’d with a free accefs to the Governours 
 Table, and the company of the Lady whom he 
 met there not unfrequently; the Captain, a), 
 being equally fond of thefe two Advantages en¬ 
 deavour’d to ward off the defign, by asking fome 
 time toconfiderof it. Accordingly, two Months 
 were granted him ; and efeer that time wasexpird, 
 he had liill a mind to let out his Traces, andTode- 
 fir’d two Months more. which were panted him 
 by the Bi!Ws interceffton. When the .alt of thele 
 two was at an end, the Cavalier began to be appre- 
 henlive that re was in danger of loiing both his 
 good Cheer, and the agreeable company ot the La¬ 
 dy. However, he was oblig’d to be F efe ™ at J 
 Tre*t that Mr. Nelfon ( the Englfi GentleI ^ an J 
 
 Ilf 
 
 'll .tj 
 
 Iff 
 
 
1 66 Some New Voyages 
 
 fpoke of in my 2;^ Letter) gave to the two Lovers, as 
 well as the Governour, the Intendant, the Bifliop, 
 and fome other Perfons of Note: And this gene¬ 
 rous Entfijh Gentleman, having a kindnefs for the 
 young Ladies Father, and her Brethren, upon the 
 fcoreof their trading with one another, made an 
 offer of a thoufand Crowns to be paid on the Wed¬ 
 ding Day, which added to a thoufand that theBi- 
 ftop offer’d, and a thoufand more which fhe had 
 of her own, befides feven or eight thoufand that 
 Mr. de Frontenac offer’d in Licences, not to menti¬ 
 on the certain profpe# of Preferment; all thefe 
 Items, I fay, made the Marriage very advantageous 
 to the Captain. After they had done eating, he 
 was prefs’d to fign the Contra#, but made anfwer, 
 that he had drunk fome bumpers of heady^ Wine,and 
 his Head was not clear enough for weighing the 
 conditions of the Contra#: fo that they were forc’d 
 to put off the matter till the next day. Upon this 
 delay he kept his Chamber till Mr. de Frontenac, at 
 whole Table he us’d to eat, fent for him in order 
 to know his Mind immediately. Then there was 
 no room left for fhuffiing ; there was a neceflity of 
 giving a pofitive anfwer to the Governour, who 
 fpoke to him in plain and precife terms, and at the 
 fame time reminded him of the favour they had 
 fhewn him, in allowing him fo much time to con- 
 fider of the propos’d Marriage. The young Offi¬ 
 cer reply’d very fairly, that any Man that was ca¬ 
 pable of Marrying after four Months deliberation, 
 was a fool in buckling to. * I now fee, fays he, 
 
 * what I am; the eager defire I had of going to 
 
 * Church with Mademoifelle D .... has now con- 
 
 * vinc’d me of my folly ; if you have a refpe# for 
 «the Lady, pray do not futfer her to marry a 
 ‘ young Spark, that is fo apt to take up with extra- 
 
 * vagint and foolifh things. As for my own part, Sir, 
 « I proteft fincerely, that the little reafon and free 
 
to North- America. 267 
 
 * judgment that is left me, will ferve to comfort 
 
 * me upon the lofs of her, and to teach me to re- 
 
 * pent of having defir’d to make her as unhappy as 
 
 * my felf. This Difcourfe furpris’d the Bilhop, the 
 Governour, the Intendant, and in general, all the 
 other Married Officers, who defir’d nothing more 
 than that he Ihould be catch’d in the noofe as well 
 as they ; fo true it is, that Solamen miferis focios ha - 
 buffi doloris. As they were far from expe&ing any 
 fuch retra&ation; fo the poor reform’d Captain fuf- 
 fer’d for’t; for fome time after Mr. de Frontenac did 
 him a piece of Injuftice, in bellowing a vacant 
 Company over his Head, upon Madam de Foncbar - 
 trains Nephew, notwithftanding that the Court had 
 fent orders on his behalf; and this oblig’d him to 
 go for France along with me in the year 1692. 
 
 To refume the thread of my Difcourfe: You mull 
 know that the Canadefe or Creoles, are a robufl braw¬ 
 ny well made People; they are ftrong, vigorous, 
 aftive, brave and indefatigable; in a word, they 
 want nothing but the knowledge of polite Letters. 
 They are prefumptuous, and very full of them- 
 felves; they value themfelves beyond all the Nations 
 of the Earth, and, which is to be regrated, they 
 have not that veneration for their Parents that is 
 due. Their Complexion is wonderfully pretty. The 
 Women are generally handfom ; few of them are 
 brown, but many of ’em are at once wife and lazy. 
 They love Luxury to the laft degree, and ftrive to 
 out-do one another in catching Husbands in the 
 trap. 
 
 There’s an infinity of diforders in Canada, that 
 want to be reform’d. The firft ftep of a true Re¬ 
 formation, mull be that of hindring the Eccleli- 
 allicks to vifit the Inhabitants fo often, and to pry 
 with fuch impertinence into the minutelt affairs ol 
 the Family ; for fuch pra&ices are frequently con¬ 
 trary to the good of the Society, and that for rea- 
 
168 Some New Voyages 
 
 fons that you are not ignorant of. The next thing 
 to be done, is to prohibit the Officers to Hop the 
 Soldiers pay, and to injoyn ’em to Difcipline their » 
 Men every Holy-day, and every Sunday. In the 
 third place, the Commodities ought to be rated at V 
 a reafonable price, fo that the Merchant may have 
 his profit, without exacting upon the Inhabitants 'H 
 and the Savages. A fourth Article of Reformation, 
 would confift in prohibiting the exporting from i 
 France to Canada, of Brocado’s, Gold and Silver Gal- i 
 loons or Ribbands, and rich Laces. In a fifth place, 
 the Governour General ought not to fell Licen¬ 
 ces for trading with the Savages of the great 
 Lakes. Sixthly, there ought to be fix’d Courts. 
 
 In the feventh place, they want to have their Mi¬ 
 litia modell’d and difciplin’d, that upon occafion, 
 they may be as ferviceable as the Regular Troops. 
 
 For an eighth Article, the fetting up Manufacto¬ 
 ries forLinnen, Stuffs, &c. would be very ufefol. 
 
 But the moft important alteration would confift in \ 
 keeping the Governours, the Intendants, the fu- 
 preme Council, the Bi/hops and the Jefuits, from 
 l'plitting into Factions, and making Clubs one a- 
 gainft another; for the confequences ot fuch Di- 
 vilions can’t but thwart his Majefty’s Service, and 
 the Peace of the Publick. Were this but happily 
 effected, that Country would be as rich again as 
 'cis now. 
 
 I wonder that inftead of banifliing the Prote- 
 ftants out of France , who in removing to the Coun¬ 
 tries of our Enemies, have done fo much damage 
 to the Kingdom, by carrying their Money along 
 with ’em, and fetting up Manufactures in thofe 
 Countries; I wonder, I fay, that the Court did not 
 think it more proper to tranfport ’em to Canada. 
 
 I’m convinc’d, that if they had receiv’d pofitive 
 affurances of in joying a liberty of Confcience, a 
 great many of ’em would have made no fcrup’.e 
 
to North- America. 169 
 
 to go thither. Some have reply’d upon this Head, 
 that the Remedy had been worfe than the Difeafe; 
 in regard that fome time or other they would noc 
 have fail'd to expel the Catbolicks by the affiftance 
 of the Fnglifli : But I reprefented to ’em, that the 
 Greeks and Armenians, who are fubjeft to the Grand 
 Seignior - and at the fame time are of a Nation 
 an d Religion that’s different from that of the Turks ; 
 I reprefented, I fay, thatthefe diflenting Subjeds 
 did fcarce ever implore the aid of foreign Powers, 
 in order to rebel and {hake off the Yoak. In 
 fine, we have more reafon to believe, that if the 
 Huguenots had been tranfported to Canada, they had 
 never departed from the fealty they ow’d to their 
 natural Sovera’gn. But, let that be as it will; I do 
 but lpeak as that King of Arragon did, who boaft- 
 ed, that if God had daign’d to confult him, he 
 could have given him fealonable advice with refe¬ 
 rence to the fymmetry and the courfes of the Stars: 
 For in like manner, I doaffirm, that if theCoun- 
 I cil of State had follow’d my Scheme, in the fpace 
 of thirty or forty years, New-France would have be¬ 
 come a finer and more fiourilhing Kingdom, than 
 I feveral others in Europe. 
 
 A Difcourfe of the Interefi of the French, and of the 
 Englifh, in North- America. 
 
 S ince New-France and New-England fubfift only 
 upon the Cod-Fifhery, and the Fur-trade, tis 
 the intereft of thefe two Colonies to inlarge the 
 number of the Ships imploy’d in the Fijnery, and 
 to incourage the Savages to hunt and {hoot sa¬ 
 vers, by furnilhing them with what Arms and Am- 
 mumcion cheyhave occafion for. ’Tis well known, 
 that there’s a great confumption of Codfilh in tne 
 0 Southern 
 
270 Some New Voyages 
 
 Southern Countries of Europe , and that few Com¬ 
 modities meet with a better and readier Market, ef- 
 pecially if they are good and well cur’d. 
 
 Thofe who alledge that the deftru&ion of the !ro- 
 tjuefe, would promote the intereft of the Colonies 
 of New-France, are ftrangers to the true intereft of 
 that Country ; for if that were once accomplilh’d, 
 the Savages who are now the French Allies, would 
 turn their greateft Enemies, as being then rid of 
 their other fears. They would not fail to call in 
 the English , by reafon that their Commodities are 
 at once cheaper, and more efteem’d than oursj 
 and by that means the whole Commerce of that wide 
 Country, would be wrefted out of our hands. 
 
 I conclude therefore, that ’tis the intereft of the 
 French to weaken the Ircquefe, but not to fee ’em 
 intirely defeated. I own, that at this day they are 
 too ftrong, infomuch that they cut the Throats 
 of the Savages our Allies every day. They have 
 nothing lefs in view, than to cut off all the Nati¬ 
 ons they know, let their Situation be never fo re¬ 
 mote from their Country. ’Tis our bufinefs to re¬ 
 duce ’em to one half of"the power they are now 
 poffefs’d of, if ’twere poffible; but we do not. go 
 the right way to work. Above thefe thirty 
 years, their ancient Counfellors have ftill remon- 
 ftrated to the Warriours of the five Nations, that 
 ’twas expedient to cut off all the Savage Nations 
 of Canada , in order to ruine the Commerce of the 
 French, and after that to diflodge ’em of the Conti¬ 
 nent. With this view they have carry’d the War 
 above four or five hundred Leagues off their Coun¬ 
 try, after the deftroying of feveral different Nations 
 in feveral places, as I fhew’d you before. 
 
 ’Twould be no difficult matter for the French to 
 <lraw the Iroc/ueje over to their fide, to keep ’em from 
 plaguing the French Allies, and at the fame time 
 to ingrofs all the Commerce with the five Iroyuefe 
 6 Nations, 
 
to North- America. 271 
 
 Nations, that is now in the hands of the Englijh in 
 New-TorL This might be eafily put in execution, 
 provided the King would allow ten thoufand Crowns 
 a year, for that end. The method of effetfing it 
 is this. In the firft place, the Barques that were for¬ 
 merly made ufe of about Fort Frontenac, muft be 
 rebuilt,in order to convey to the Rivers of the Tfonon- 
 touam and the Onontagues, fuch Commodities as are 
 proper for ’em, and to fell ’em for the prime coft 
 in France. Now this would put the King to the 
 charge of about ten thoufand Crowns for fraight; 
 and I’m perfwaded, that upon that foot the Irocjuefe 
 would not be fuch fools as to carry fo much as one 
 Beaver to the Englifb Colonies, and that for lour 
 Reafons. The firft is, that, whereas they muft 
 tranfport ’em fixty or eighty Leagues upon their 
 backs to New-Tork, they have not above feven or 
 eight Leagues travelling from their own Villages, 
 to the banks of the Lake of Frontenac. For a fe- 
 cond reafon, ’tis manifeft that the Englijh can’t pof- 
 fibly let ’em have their Commodities fo cheap, 
 without being confiderable lofers, and that there¬ 
 upon every Merchant would drop that fort of Trade. 
 The third is drawn from the difficulty of having 
 Subfiftance upon the Road between the Iroquefe Vil¬ 
 lages and New-Tork ; for the lroauefe go thither 
 in great Bodies, for fear of being lurpris’d, and I 
 acquainted you before feveral times, that there’s no 
 Venifon in that fide of the Country. The fourth 
 reafon is this. In marching fo far from their Villa¬ 
 ges, they expofe their Wives, their Children, and 
 their fuperannuated Men, for a prey to their Ene¬ 
 mies, who upon that occafion may either kill ’em, 
 or carry ’em off; and of this we have two Inftan- 
 ces already. Over and above the cheapnefs of our 
 Commodities, ’twould likewife be requifite that we 
 made ’em Prefents every year, and at the fame 
 time intreated ’em not to difturb the repofe of our 
 
 Con- 
 
Some New Voyages 
 
 Confederate Savages, who are fuch fools, as to 
 wage War one wich another, inftead of entring in¬ 
 to a joint League in oppofition to the Iroquefe , the 
 moft redoubted of their Enemies, and thofe whom 
 they have moft reafon to fear. In a word, if we 
 would manage our affairs with the Iroquefe^ to the «< 
 beft advantage, we ought to put in execution that 
 Project that I'mention'd in my i%d Letter. 
 
 To alledge that thefe Barbarians have a dependance * 
 upon the Englijh , is a foolifh Plea: For they are fo 
 far from owning any dependance, that when they 
 go to New-Tork to truck their Skins, they have the i 
 confidence to put rates upon the Goods they have 
 occafion for, when the Merchants offer to raife 
 their price. I have intimated already leveral times, 
 that their refpeft for the Englijh, is tackd to the 
 occafion they have to make ufe of ’em ; that this is 
 the only motive which induces ’em to treat the 
 Englijh as their Brethren, and their Friends; and 
 that if the French would fell ’em the Neceffaries of 
 Life, as well as Arms and Ammunition, at eafier 
 rates, they would not make many journeys to the 
 Englijh Colonies. This is a confideration that ought 
 to be chiefly in our view; for if we minded it to 
 the purpofe, they would be cautious of infulting 
 our Savage Confederates, as well as our felves. The 
 Governours General of Canada would do well to 
 implcy the fenfible Men of the Country that^are 
 acquainted with our Confederates, in preffing em 
 to live in a good correfpondence with one another, 
 without waging War among themfelves; for moft 
 of the Southern Nations worm out one another in- 
 fenfibly, which affords matter of joy to the Iromefe. 
 Now, ’twere an eafis matter to prevent this fatal 
 mouldering, by threatning to give em no further 
 fupplies of Commodities in their Villages. To this 
 precaution, we ought to add that of indeavouring 
 to ingage two or three Nations to live together; 
 
 
to North America. 
 
 27 $ 
 
 the Outaouas , for inftance, with the Huron* ; the 
 Saku with the Vouteouatawu, alias Fua?ns. It all thofe 
 Nations who are imbarqucd in a Confederacy with 
 us, would but agree one with another, and put up 
 their quarrels, they would give ihemfclves wholly 
 to the hunting of Beavers, which would tend to the 
 inlarging of our Commerce ; and befides, they 
 would be in a condition of making one joint Body, 
 when the Iroquefe offer d toattackeithei one or t other. 
 
 ’Tis the intereft of the Englifi to perfwade thefe 
 Nations, that the French have nothing lefs in view, 
 than to dedroy them as foon as they meet with an 
 opportunity ; that the growing populoufnefs ofC«- 
 „ a Ja, is a fufficient ground of alarm; that they 
 ought to avoid all Commeice with the French, tor 
 fear of being betray’d in any way whatsoever; 
 that to hinder the repairing ot Fort Frontenac, and 
 the rebuilding of Barques for that Lake, is tot,.cm 
 a thing of the lad Importance, by rcalon that the 
 French might in four and twenty hours, make a uel- 
 cent from thence to their Villages, and carry olt 
 their ancient Men, their Women and their Chil¬ 
 dren, at a time when the Warriours might be in- 
 gag’d in the hunting of Beavers; That they w ould 
 promote their ownincered by waging War wuh the 
 French from time to time, by ravaging the Seignories 
 and Settlements in the upper part ot the Country, 
 in order to oblige the Inhabitants to abdicate the 
 Colony, and to difccurage thofe who would other- 
 wife remove out of France, and fettle in Canada ; 
 and in fine, That in time of Peace cwould be very 
 proper to fiop the Coureuri de Bon at the Cataracts o 
 the Outaouas River,and to feize the Arms and Ammu¬ 
 nition that they carry to the Savages upon the Lakes. 
 
 Farther, if the Englifh would purfue their mea- 
 
 fures to the bed advantage, they ought to ingage 
 rrv __ r,n Vn auam to no and lettie 
 
 upon the lianks ot tne L-aive can*, .. 
 
274 Some New Voyages 
 
 of the River of Conde ; and at the fame time they 
 ought to build a Fort there, with fome long Barques 
 or Brigantines: For this is the moft convenient and 
 advantageous Poft of all that Country, and that for 
 an infinity of Reafons which Lam oblig’d to con¬ 
 ceal. Befides this Fort, they fhould build another 
 at the Mouth of the River des Francois ; and then 
 ’twould be abfolutely impoffible for the Coureurs de 
 Boh to reach the Lakes. 
 
 They ought likewife to ingage the Savages of 
 AcadU in their intereft ; which they may do with 
 little charge. The Planters of New-England fliould 
 mind this, as well as the fortifying of the Ports 
 in which they ftfh their Cod. As for the fitting 
 out of Fleets to deftroy the Colony, I would not 
 advife the Englifh to give themfelves that trouble; 
 for fuppoiing they were affur’d of Succefs, ’tis but 
 fome places that can be reckon’d worth the while. 
 
 To conclude ; I rauft fay the Englijh in thefe 
 Colonies are too carelefs and lazy: The French 
 Comenrs de Boh , are much readier for Enterpri- 
 fes, and the Canadefe are certainly more vigi¬ 
 lant and more adlive. It behoves the Inhabi¬ 
 tants of Nevs-York to inlarge their Fur-trade by 
 well concerted Enterprifes; and thofe of New- 
 England, to render the Cod-filhing more benefici¬ 
 al to the Colony, by taking fuch meafures as 
 many other People would, if they were as advan- 
 tageoufiy feated. I do not intend to fpeak of the 
 limics of New-France, and New-England, for they 
 were never well adjufted ; though indeed ’twould 
 feem that in feveral Treaties of Peace between 
 thefe two Kingdoms, the Boundaries were in a 
 manner mark'd out in fome places. Whatever 
 is in that matter, the decifion of it is too nice a 
 point for one that can't open his mind without 
 pulling an old Houfe upon his Head. 
 
 The End of the Firji Volume. 
 
275 
 
 A TABLE explaining fome Terms 
 made life of in both Volumes. 
 
 A. 
 
 A StroIabe is a Mathematical Injlrument that can 
 fcarce he ufed in the Ocean by reafonofthe Waves. 
 There are two forts of them. The firfi are made 
 ufe of by Eaft- India Maflers, at a time when the Sea 
 isasjmoothas the face of a Looking-glafs . This fort 
 are ferviceable in taking the heighth of the Sun, by the 
 means of two little Pins, which are bor d Jo as to have 
 two dioptrick Perforations, that ferve to conduct the 
 rays of light to that Luminary . The latter are fuch as 
 
 the Mathematicians commonly make u[eoffor AJlronomi- 
 cd Obfervations, and are furbifb'd with Azimuths , 
 Almucantard s, Loxodromick Tables, and theConcentrick 
 and Excentrick Tables of the Sphere. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bank of New-found-land, or Bank in general , is a 
 riftng Ground in the Sea, which Jhoots like a Hat beyond 
 the other brims. The Bank of New-found land has 
 thirty or forty Fathom Water,and is pav d with Ccd f(l). 
 Bafin, is a head of Jlagnating Water, not unlike a Pool or 
 Lake . 
 
 Bouteux fgnifes little Nets belagd to the end of a Stick. 
 The Fijhermen make uje of them to catch Fifh upon a 
 fandy Ground, and especially Eels, upon the fide of St. 
 Laurence River. 
 
 Bouts de Quievres, are Nets not unlike Bouteux, which 
 ferve for the fame ufe. 
 
 Br eaking ground fignifies the weighing Anchor and put¬ 
 ting to Sea. , 
 
 Brigantine, a fmaU Vejfel one Deck, built of light of 
 
 X z Wood, 
 
2 jS AUBLE. 
 
 Wood, which flits both -with Oars anti Sails. ’Tis e- 
 efuafly Jharp at Prow and Poop, and is built for a quick 
 
 Calumet in oencralJtgnifes a Pipe,being a Norman Word, 
 deriv'd from Chalumeau. The Savages do not undtr- 
 f and this Word, for 'tivas introduc'd to Canada by the 
 -Normans when they firjl fettled there ) and has fill con¬ 
 tinued in ufe amongjl the French Planters. The Calu¬ 
 met or Pipe is call'd in the Iroquefe Language Ga- 
 nondaoe, and by the other Savage Nations Poagan. 
 Canadefe or Canadans, are the Natives of Canada 
 fprung from a French Father and Mother. In the 
 IJlands of South- America the Natives born of French 
 Parents are called Creoles. 
 
 Capa y d'efpada, A Gafcogne Title which the People of 
 that Province gave infrmer times by way of Irony, to 
 the Members of the Jupream Council of Canada, be- 
 caufe the fir(l Counfellors vwc neither Robe nor Sword, 
 hutwalk'd very gravely with a Cane in their Hands, 
 bodo in the City of Quebeck, and in the Hall. 
 Cafle-tcte fignifes a Club, or a Head-Breaker. The Sa- 
 " vages cat.it Allan Ouftick, Ouftick fignifying the 
 Head, and Affan, to break. 
 
 Channel is a fpace of pretty deep Water between two 
 Banks, or between two Shoars. Commonly the Chan¬ 
 nels are inclofed by Flats, and for that reafon Bouy s or 
 Mafts are fixt upon 'em, in order to diretl the Pilots, 
 who fieer either by thefe Marks, or by founding, for 
 they would run the rifque ofloofir.g their Ships,if they did 
 not keep exallly to the Channel. 
 
 Coafl along, fee Sweep. 
 
 Compafs of Variation. ’Tis larger than the ordinary 
 Compaffes, and ferves to point out the inequal Motions 
 of the Needle.whicb leans always to the North- Ea(l in the 
 other Hemifphere, whereas it fill plies to the Nortb-Wef‘ } 
 in this, I mean on this fide the Equinoctial line : The 
 
 Needle 
 
A TABLE. 277 
 
 Needle touch'd with the Loadftone departs from the true 
 North a cextain number of Degrees to the right and lefty 
 and Mariners compute the Degrees of its departure by 
 the means of an Albidada, and a thread which divides 
 the Glafs of the Compaft into two equal parts, and fo 
 (hews the Variation of the Needle at Sun-fet, that being 
 
 the true proper time for making the Obfer vat ion ; for 
 at Sun-rifng, and at Noon, one may be deceiv'd by 
 
 RcfraCtions, &c. 
 
 Coureurs de Bois, i. e. Foreft Rangers, are French or 
 Canadefe, fo call'd from employing their whole Life in 
 the rough Exercife of tranfporting Merchandize Goods 
 to the Lakes of Canada, and to all the other Countries of 
 that Continent, in order to Trade with the Savages . 
 And in regard that they run in Canows a thoufand 
 Leagues up the Country, notwitbflanding the danger of 
 the Sea and Enemies, 7 take it, theyfhoutd rather be cal¬ 
 led Coureurs de Rifques, than Coureurs de Bois. 
 
 E. 
 
 Eddy, or boyling V,Pater, is little Watery Mountains that 
 rife at the foot of Water-falls or CataraCls, juft as 
 we fee the Water plays in the Cifterns of Water-works. 
 
 Edae of a Bank, is the {helving pan of it that runs fteep 
 like a Wall. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fathom, among the French is the meafure of fix foot. 
 Feaft of Union, * Term us'd by the Iroquefe to figmfy 
 the renewing of the Alliance between the five Iroque C 
 
 Nations . 
 
 jPlofc nrc n. n. 
 
 ire ojyp a ridge of Rocks running under IVater frens one 
 Station to another , and rifing within five or fix foot at 
 leaf of the Surface of that Element, fo as to hinder Ships, 
 
178 A TABLE. 
 
 towards the Top-mafl 3 not long ways as we do the Cur¬ 
 tains of a Bed , hut from below upwards. This is done by 
 two Ropes y t hat draw up the Sail as a String does a Purje. 
 
 H. 
 
 Head-Bars are two round pieces of Wood, reaching on each 
 fide from one end of a Canow to the other . Theje are 
 the Supporters of the Canow y for the Ribs and Spars are 
 made f aft upon them. 
 
 K. 
 
 Keel of a Ship , is a long piece of the ftrongeft Woody or at 
 leaf fever a l pieces joynd together , to bear the great 
 weight of all the other Timber. 
 
 Kitchi Okima/f the general Name for theGovernour Ge¬ 
 neral of Canada among all the Savages , whofe Langua¬ 
 ges approach to that of the Algonkins. Kitchi fignifes 
 Greats and Okima., Captain. The Iroquefe and 
 Hurons call the Governor General Onnontio. 
 
 L. 
 
 Latitude. Every Body knows tb it it imports the Ele* 
 vat ion of the Pole , or the difiance from a fix d Point of 
 the t/fcjuator. 
 
 Land-carriage fignifiesthe tranfporting of Canow s by Land 
 from the Foot to the Head of a Cataraft, or from one 
 River to another. 
 
 Light Ships are fuch as are empty , without any Cargo. 
 
 P. 
 
 Poop is the Stern or After-part of the Ship in which the 
 Rudder is fix d. 
 
 Precipice of a Bank > fee Edge. 
 
 Prow is the Head or Fore-part of a Ship , which cuts the 
 
 p Water firfi . 
 
 Or 
 
 Quarter. Tho the Word Quarter in a Maritime Senjty 
 u not well explain I put the meaning of it to be this. 
 
 The 
 
A TABLE. 
 
 *79 
 
 The North Quarter comprehends the [pace that lies be¬ 
 tween North-Wefi and North-Eaft. The Eafi Quarter 
 runs from Nortb-Eaft to South-Eafi. The South Quar¬ 
 ter comprehends that part of the Heavens that falls be¬ 
 tween South-Eafi andSouth-Wefl ; And the Wefi Quar¬ 
 ter extends from South-Wefi to North-JVefi. 
 
 R. 
 
 Refitting of a Ship, fignifies the repairing and dr effing of 
 it, and putting it into a Condition to fail , by putting in 
 new Planks * caulking the Seams * &c. 
 
 Ribs of a Canow, are much like thofe of a Pink, only 
 there's this difference, that they line the Canow only on 
 the in-fide from one Head Bar to another y upon which 
 they are inch as d. They have the thicknefs of three Crowns y 
 and the breadth of four Inches. 
 
 Ruche* an Infir umentfor fijhing, refembling a Bee-hive. 
 
 S. 
 
 Scurvy* is a Corruption of the Mafs of Blood. There are 
 two forts of it ; one call'd the Land Scurvy, which loads 
 a Man with Infirmities that gradually bring him to his 
 Grave ; the other is the Sea Scurvy, which infallibly 
 kills a Man in 8 days unlefs be gets a-fhoar. 
 
 Shieve, i. e. Row the wrong way,in order to affifi theStecrf- 
 man to fteer the Boat,and to keep the Boat in the Channel . 
 
 Shoot. ToJhoot a Waterfall or Cataratt, implies the run¬ 
 ning a Boat down thefe dangerous Precipices, following 
 the fiream of the Water, and fieering very nicely. 
 
 Sledges are a Conveniency for travelling, built in an ob¬ 
 long quadrangular form, upon two pieces of Wood * 
 which are 4 foot long, and 6 foot broad \ upon the Wood 
 there are (everal pieces of Cloath or Hide nail'd to keep 
 the Wind off. Thefe two pieces of Wood are very hard * 
 and well Jmooth'd, that they may fiide the better on Snow 
 or Ice • Such are the Horfe Sledges. But thofe drawn by 
 Dogs are open * and made of two little pieces of hard 
 fmooth, andfinning Wood, which are half an Inch thick * 
 5 foot long, and a foot and a half broad. 
 
 Spars* 
 
 
 
a8o A TABLE. - 
 
 Spars tittle pieces of Cedar Wood of the tbicbtefs *f 
 a Crown, and the breadth of % Inches, and as long as 
 they can be wade. They do the fame Service to a La- 
 tsow, that a good lining does to a Coat. , 
 
 Stand in for Land, fignifies to fail dirdily towards it 
 Steer a Ship, imports the managing of a Ship by the 
 means of a Rudder, (as we do a Horfiwith a Bridle) 
 when there's Wind enough to work her ; but if there be no 
 Wind, a Ship is more unmoveable than a Gouty l erjon in 
 
 an Elbow Chair. . r „ 
 
 Stem * Tide or the Current of a River l. e. to fail againfl 
 the Current, or to fleer for. the place from whence the Tides 
 
 or Currents come. . . r 
 
 Strike, to (Irike the Sails or Flag fignifies the lowering of 
 'em, whether it be tofubmit to an Enemy,or by reajon of 
 
 Sweep a Coafi, fignifies to fail along the Coafi fide at a rea- 
 fonable difiance. 
 
 T. 
 
 To p- gall a n t- M afts are two little Maps fit upon the two 
 Top-Mads, and have two Sails fitted for cm. 
 
 Top-Sails are two Sails fitted for the twoTop-Mafls, which 
 Hand directly above the two great Map. 
 
 Tnverfe. To traverfe fignifies failing Zigzag, cr f rom 
 ZJto fideasadruikinMan reels, when the Wind is 
 contrary, for then they are oblig'd to tack fimeternes to 
 the Jhi, andfimetimes to the (eft, keeping as near to 
 2 Wind as they can, in order to make what way they 
 can, or at leaft to prevent their lofing Ground 
 Tree of Feace, aSymhlick Metaphor for Peace ttfifi 
 
 THE 
 

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