Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	earth_n	great_a	part_n	5,843	5	4.8807	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43326	A new discovery of a vast country in America extending above four thousand miles between New France and New Mexico, with a description of the great lakes, cataracts, rivers, plants and animals : also the manners, customs, and languages of the several native Indians ... : with a continuation, giving an account of the attempts of the Sieur De la Salle upon the mines of St. Barbe, &c., the taking of Quebec by the English, with the advantages of a shorter cut to China and Japan : both parts illustrated with maps and figures and dedicated to His Majesty, K. William / by L. Hennepin ... ; to which is added several new discoveries in North-America, not publish'd in the French edition.; Nouvelle découverte d'un très grand pays situé dans l'Amérique entre le Nouveau Mexique et la mer Glaciale. English	Hennepin, Louis, 17th cent.; La Salle, Robert Cavelier, sieur de, 1643-1687.; Joliet, Louis, 1645-1700.; Marquette, Jacques, 1637-1675.	1698 (1698)	Wing H1450; ESTC R6723	330,063	596

carry on the Missions and to Convert other Nations to the Christian Religion Indeed these Monks do actually expose their Lives and are inur'd to all manner of Fatigues on purpose to propagate the Gospel throughout all the Regions of the World A Remonstrance was formerly made by our Monks that it was requisite that the Christian Religion and the authority of publick Justice shou'd be maintain'd by a good Garrison settl'd in some convenient place of Northern America which might keep in Subjection the Country for the space of above Eight Hundred Leagues along the Banks of St. Lawrence River There is no place convenient for Landing but at the mouth of the said River so that the chief Mart being once settl'd their Commerce might by that means be very much promoted and even render'd extremely Advantagious which might also be improv'd by the power of the Prince who might make himself Master of it and might enlarge his Dominions with the extent of a large River To these may be annex'd many spacious Countries which might be possess'd in this vast Continent on the Banks of the great River Meschasipi which is infinitely more convenient than that of St. Lawrence for the Establishing of New Colonies by reason that all sorts of Grain may be there reap'd twice a Year and even in some places thrice not to mention a very many other Advantages to which it may be added that a great number of People who wou'd come to visit these New Colonies might by that means be render'd Tributary Indeed I shall be always ready to contribute as far as it lies in my power toward the promoting of so noble an Enterprize and even to spend the remainder of my Life in that Service But in order to bring the Matter to a happy conclusion it wou'd be requisite First That the Princes or States who design to reap the benefit of our Discoveries shou'd cause Justice to be administer'd in those New Dominions with a great deal of exactness The beginnings of Colonies are always carry'd on with much difficulty which makes it necessary to prevent Robberies Murders Debauches Blasphemies and all other Crimes that are but too common among the Europeans who inhabit America Secondly It wou'd be expedient to cause a Fort to be built at the Mouth of St. Lawrence's River and more especially on that of Meschasipi which are the Landing places for the Vessels and to maintain a sufficient number of Men for the Defence of these Forts In the mean while the Inhabitants might go out in Parties and employ themselves in clearing the Lands Twenty or Twenty Five Leagues round about There they might get in three Crops every Year and yet spend some time in taming Wild Oxen which may be afterward serviceable on many occasions Besides other Profits that might arise from the above-mention'd Mines and the Sugar-Canes which are found there in much greater quantities than in the American Islands the reason is because there are more spacious Tracts of Land proper for the Planting of these Sugar-Canes on which may be sown divers sorts of Grain these will not thrive nor come to maturity in those Islands The Climate of the Territories situated between the frozen Seas and the Gulph of Mexico is much more temperate along the River Meschasipi than in the said Islands the Air being very near of the same Temperature as in Spain Italy and Provence and the Soil is extremely fruitful The Men and Women always go there with their Heads uncover'd and are of a more advantageous size than the Europeans As for the Sentiments of these Barbarous People concerning the Heaven and Earth if it be demanded who was the Creator of them There are some Old Men among them of a more quick apprehension who make Answer That for the Heaven they know not how it was made nor by whom first created Indeed if we had ever been there say they we might have come to some knowledge of it But thou seemest it to be void of discretion continue they to ask what we think of a place so far advanc'd above our Heads where 't is impossible for Men to ascend How woulds't thou have us speak of a thing that no Man has ever seen It plainly appears that thou art destitute of Vnderstanding to propose to us such sort of Questions But say they can'st thou by Scripture of which thou talkest so much shew us a Man who has come down from the top and the manner how he ascended When we reply'd That our Souls being separated from our Bodies are endu'd with admirable Agility and that they fly up to Heaven in the twinkling of an Eye to receive the Rec●mpence of their Works from the great Creator of the World These Savages who shew a great deal of indifference to every thing that is told 'em and are very subtil in making a shew of admitting whatever is propos'd to 'em being urg'd usually answer to this effect That is very well for those of your Country but we Americans do not go to Heaven after death We only pass to the Count●y of Souls where our People are employ'd in Hunting fat Beasts and where they live more peaceably than we do in the places where we now have our abode All that thou hast told us tends to the advantage of those Men whose Habitation is beyond the great lake For so these Wretches call the Sea Then proceeding in their Discourse they add that as for their parts they are created after a different manner from the Europeans Hence it appears that he who Plants and he who Waters does little or nothing towards the Conversion of the People and that 't is God who gives the increase Therefore from him alone is to be expected that happy moment when these ignorant People will be ready to embrace the Christian Faith As for their Opinion concerning the Earth they make use of the Name of a certain Genius whom they call Mic●boche who has cover'd the whole Earth with Water as they imagine and relate innumerable fabulous Tales some of which have a kind of Analogy with the Universal Deluge These Barbarians believe that there are certain Spirits in the Air between Heaven and Earth who have a power to foretell future Events and others who play the part of Physicians curing all sorts of Distempers Upon which account it happens that these Savages are very Superstitious and consult their Oracles with a great deal of exactness One of these Masters-Jugglers who pass for Sorcerers among them one day caus'd a Hut to be erected with ten thick Stakes which he fix'd very deep in the Ground and then made a horrible noise to Consult the Spirits to know whether abundance of Snow wou'd fall ere long that they might have good game in the Hunting of Elks and Beavers Afterward he bawl'd out aloud from the bottom of the Hut that he saw many Herds of Elks which were as yet at a very great distance but that they drew near within seven

fast we found our selves notwithstanding all the Pains we had been at over-against the Place where we embark'd One of our Men must needs shoot at a Bird flying which overset his Canow but by good luck he was in his depth We were forc●d to break several Sluces which the Castors had made for our Canow's to pass otherwise we cou'd not have continu'd our Way or carry'd our things to embark them again above these Sluces These Creatures make them with so much Art that Man cannot equal it We shall speak of them in our Second Volume We ●ound several of these Ponds or Stops of Water which these Creatures make with Pieces of Wood like a Causey After this we pass'd over four Lakes which are all made by this River Here formerly dwelt the Miamis but now the Maskou●ens Kikapous and O●toagamis who sow their Indian Wheat here on which they chie●ly subsist We made some Broath of the W●ter of a certain Fall which they call Kakalin because the Savages come often hither to ease themselves and lie on their Backs with their Faces expos'd to the Sun Thus having made more than four hundred Leagues by Water since our departure from the Country of the Issati and Nado●essans we arriv'd at last at the great Bay of the Puans which makes part of the Lake of the Illinois CHAP. LXVIII The Author and his Company stay some time amongst the Puans Original of the Name They celebrated the Mass here and winter at Missilimakinak WE found many Canadians in this Bay of the Puans The Nation that inhabits here is so call'd because formerly they dwelt in certain Marshy Places full of stinking Waters situate on the South-Sea But being drove out thence by their Enemy they came and setled in this Bay which is to the East of the Illinois The Canadians were come hither to Trade with the People of this Bay contrary to an Order of the Viceroy They had still a little of the Wine left which they brought with them and kept in a Pewter-Flagon I made use of it for the Mass. Till now I had nothing but a Chalice and a Marble-Altar which was pretty light and very handsomly ingrav'd But here by good Fortune I met with the Sacerdotal Robes too Some Illinois who had happily escap●d their Enemies the Iroquois who had attack'd and almost destroy●d them since my Voyage and the time that I had been a Slave amongst the Barbarians had brought with them the Ornaments of the Chapel of Father Zenobius Mambre whom we had left among the Illinois Some of these I say who were escap'd to the Place where we were deliver'd me up all the Ornaments of the Chapel except the Chalice They promis'd to get me that too for a little Tobacco whic● I was to give them and were as good as their Word for they brought it me some few Days after 'T was more than nine Months since I had celebrated the Sacrament of the Mass for want of Wine We might indeed have done it in our Voyage had we had Vessels proper to keep Wine in But we cou'd not charge our Canow with such being very un●it to carry things of Weight 'T is true we met with Grapes in many Places through which w● pass'd and had made some Wine too which we put into Gourds but it fail'd us whilst we were among the Illinois as I have elsewhere observ'd As for the rest I had still some Wafers by me which were as good as ever having been kept in a Steel-Box shut very close We stay'd two Days at the Bay of th● Puans where we sung Te Deum and my self said Mass and Preach'd Our Men prepar'd themselves for the Holy Sacrament which we receiv'd in order to render our Thanks to God who had preserv'd us amidst the many Dangers we had run the Difficulties we had surmounted and Monsters we had overcome One of our Canow-Men truck'd a Fusil with a Savage for a Canow larger than our own in which after an hundred Leagues rowing having coasted all along the great Bay of the Puans we arriv'd at Missilimakinak in the Lake of Huron where we were forc'd to Winter For our Way lying still North we shou'd infallibly have perish'd amongst the Ice and Snow had we proceeded any farther By the Cou●se we were oblig'd to take we were still about 400 Leagues from Canada Amongst these People I met to my no little Satisfaction Father Pierson a Jesuit Son of the King's Receiv●r for the Town of At h in Hainault He was come hither to learn their Language and spoke it then passably well This Religious who retain'd still the free and open Humour of his Countrymen had made himself belov'd by his obliging Behaviour and seem'd to be an utter Enemy of Caballing and Intrigues having a Soul well-tun'd generous and sincere In a Word He appear'd to me to be such as every good Christian ought to be The Reader may judge how agreeably I pass'd the Winter in such good Company after the Miseries and Fatigues I had undergone in the Course of our Discoveries To make the best use of my time that I cou'd I Preach'd all the Holy-days and Sundays in Advent and Lent for the Edification of our Men and other Canadians who were come four or five Leagues out of their Country to Trade for Furrs amongst these Savages From whence we may observe that there are some whom I shall forbear to name who notwithstanding all their pretended Austerities are yet no less covetous of the Things of this World than the most Secular Person in it The Ou●acuacts and the Hurons wou'd often assist at our Ceremonies in a Church cover'd with Rushes and a few Boards which the Canadians had built here But they came more out of Curiosity than any Design to conform themselves to the Rules of our holy Religion The latter of these Savages would tell us speaking of our Discoveries That themselves were but Men but for us Europeans we must needs be Spirits That if they had gone so far up amongst strange Nations as we had done they should have been sure to have been kill'd by them without Mercy whereas we pass'd every-where without danger and knew how to procure the Friendship of all we met During the Winter we broke Holes in the Ice of the Lake Huron and by means of several large Stones sunk our Nets sometimes 20 sometimes 25 Fathom under-water to catch Fish which we did in great abundance We took Salmon-Trouts which often weigh'd from 40 to 50 pounds These made our Indian Wheat go down the better which was our ordinary Diet. Our Beverage was nothing but Broth made of White Fish which we drank hot because as it cools it turns to Jelly as if it had been made of Veal During our stay here Father Pierson and I would often divert our selves on the Ice where we skated on the Lake as they do in Holland I had learn'd this Slight when I was at Ghent from whence

had no sense at all and afterwards there were some Presents made for stopping the Tears of the Friends of him who had been maliciously killed and with this Excuse the Relations would be contented without seeking for any further Revenge Then the Elders secretly praised him who had counterfeited himself a Fool and killed the Person which they had singled out and resolved to be rid of The Iroquoise have Spies and Men on purpose amongst them who go and come continually and give an Account of all the News they can learn As to the matter of Trade they are very cunning and are not easily deceiv'd they observe every thing nicely and study to know the Merchandize for which they Truck The Onnonlages or Iroquoise Mountaneers are more subtil than the rest they can Cheat very cleverly the Algoncains the Abenati Esquimones and an infinite number of Salvages who have Converst with the Europeans are no less Sly and Politick We are not to think these People Brutish and without Reason they have a great deal of subtilty in them and know their Interest right well and they mannage their Affairs with much Prudence and Dexterity CHAP. XXV Of the Way the Salvages have to Hunt Wild Beasts The admirable Industry of the Beavers THE Salvages observe the Times Seasons and Moons of the Year for their Hunting and are very punctual therein the New Moons they call according to the Names of those Animals which appear most at certain Seasons For instance they call it the Moon of Frogs at the time when the Frogs croak the Moon of Bulls when these wild Creatures appear the Moon of Swallows at the time of the coming of these Birds And this is the Custom as these Barbarians who have no other Names to distinguish their Months by as we Europeans have They retain also the like Usage in respect to the Names they give to Men imposing them from the Serpent the Wolf the wild Cat and other Animals according to the respective Season of them They kill Elks and wild Goats at all times but more particularly in Snowy Weather wild Cats and Baboons they Hunt in the Winter Porcupines Beavers and Bears in the Spring and sometimes in the Autumn they take the Elks in a Snare and the Beavers in a Trap They shoot the Bears with Arrows or Fusils upon the Oaks when they are feeding upon Acrons As for wild Cats they beat the Trees on which they are and then their Dogs fall upon them and strangle them they take the Porcupines much after the same manner saving that they kill them with Pole-Axes or with Forks when the Tree is fell'd because the Dogs are not able to draw near unto them by reason of their Quills that are sharper than Auls and which by little and little pierce the Body of a Man in an imperceptible manner and which would infallibly kill the Dogs that would seize upon them these Animals are not swift of Foot As to the Bears they are taken in a Trap or shot with Arrows or Musquets but very seldom killed with Pole-Axes because these Creatures are very quick of Hearing The Salvages take the Beavers in Winter under the Ice they first make it their Business to find out the Lakes of these Animals these Beavers are admirably industrious in Building their Lodgments when they are disposed to change their Habitations they seek out a Rivulet in the Woods along the Banks whereof they ascend 'till they have found a Flat very proper to make a Lake When they have well observed the place on all sides they fall to work and raise up a Causey or Dam to stop the Water which they make as strong as those which serve to keep in the Waters of the greatest Ponds in Europe This Dam is made up of Wood Earth and Clay and is of such a Bigness as is necessary to form a great Lake which is sometimes a Quarter of a League long These Beavers build their Dwellings in the midst of the Water with Wood Bull-rushes and Clay or Dirt and work them all together very exactly with the help of their Tails which is longer and as large as a Masons Trowel their Building consists of three or four Stories filled with Bull-rush-Matting and 't is thére their Females bring forth their young At the Bottom of the Water there are deep and shallow Channels when their Lakes or Ponds are frozen they must pass then under the Ice wherefore they make Provision in the beginning of Winter of Ash-trees which is their ordinary Food which they set in the Water round about their Dwellings in the Lake When the Salvages would take any of them they first break the Ice about these Lodgments with the Helve of an Hatchet or a Stake and make an hole through and when they have so done they sound the depth of the Water in order to know whether it be the Way through which the Beavers are wont to go out and if upon Enquiry they find it to be so in reality they put in a String of about a Fathom long and two Sticks whose lower ends touch the Bottom of the Pond and the other two are kept without the Hole which is made in the Ice to which Sticks are fastned two Cords to draw out the String when the Beaver is caught But to the end that this subtile Animal may not see the String nor the People that seek his Life they strew rotten Wood Cotten and such things upon the surface of the Ice and when they have so done a Salvage stands upon the Watch near the String with an Ax in his Hand to pull up the Beaver on the Ice while the rest of the Company with much Labour break up his Lodgment where they many times find the Wood and Earth wrought together to be above a Foot thick which they are forc'd to cut down with their Axes because its hard as a Stone through the violence of the Frost When that is done they sound the Lake and wherever they find any Hollows they break the Ice for fear lest the Beavers hide themselves underneath to the end that being constrain'd to run from one end unto the other they may at length throw themselves into the Strings laid for them and thus it is they labour with much Fatigue from Morning to Evening without eating any thing and yet after all do not take above three or four Beavers Moreover these Salvages do take these Animals with Traps in the Spring time in the following Manner When the Ice begins to dissolve the Salvages take notice of those Places by which the Beavers go out and there lay a Trap with a Branch of Asp-wood for a Bait which reaches from the Trap to the Water Now when the Beavers light on it they cease not to eat thereof ' til they come to the Trap which lets fall two thick pieces of Wood upon them and so kills them The Pole-Cats are caught almost in the same manner saving that they lay no Bait

for them All the Nations Southwards towards the River Meschasipi are more superstitious in their Huntings than the Northern People and the Iroquoise in particular When I was among them their Seniors six days before they were to enter upon the Hunting of their wild Bulls would send about Four or Five of their nimblest Hunters to the Mountains in order to dance the Camulet there with as much Ceremony as among the Nations to whom they were wont to send Embassadors to make some Allyance with Upon the return of these Men they exposed to the view of all the People for the space of three days a very great Kettle which they beset with Feathers of all Colours and fastned one of the Guns of their Fire-men athwart it for the space of three Days the principal Wife of a Captain c●rryed this Kettle upon her back with Flowers in great Pomp at the Head of above two hundred Huntsmen following an old Man who had tyed an Handkerchief to the end of a Stick or Pole like an Ensign and carrying his Bow and Arrows in great Silence This old Spark made an Halt three or four times to weep and bitterly bewail the death of those Bulls which they hope to kill and at the last Pause the eldest of the Company sent two of the ablest Huntsmen to find out the wild Bulls whom on their return they whisper'd before they began the Chase of these Animals then they kindled a Fire of the Ordure of the wild Bulls dryed in the Sun and seasoned their Pipes or Calumets in this new sort of Fire in order to smoke their Runners whom they had sent to make a disc●very This Ceremony was no sooner ended but an hundred Men went out on the one Side of the Mountains whilst a like number took the other in order to enclose in the Bulls who are very numerous they killed several of them in a confused manner with their Arrows and we Europeans seven or eight with our Guns These Barbarians could not sufficiently admire the Effect of our Guns the noise of which they heard but could not see the Bullets which ma●e them believe these Creatures were kill'd with the report only they would clap their Hands upon their Mouths as a sign of their Amazement and cry Alansa Ouacanthe that is in the Language of the Issatrians this Iron doth Mischief to Men and Beasts yet we do not know how it comes to pass that at the noise of these round Machines the Bones of these Beasts come to be broken which still raised their Admiration of them I could not sufficiently wonder how these Salvages could slea those Bulls and cut them out to pieces seeing they had neither Knives nor Hatchets but the few they had stolen from us They cut the Hides of these Beasts with the Points of their Arrows which were made of a Sharp Stone and when once they can get their Fingers between the Flesh and the Skin of these Animals they could then quickly flea them As for cutting of the Meat to pieces and disjointing the Bones they made use of Stones with which they effected it They dismember'd also these Beasts and the Women took care to dry them by exposing the same to the Sun and the Smoke of a little Fire which they kindled In short they eat nothing during the time of their Hunting but the Entrails and the poorest pieces of these Animals but the best parts they carried into their Villages distant about two hundred Leagues from the place where they had been Hunting CHAP. XXVI The Way of Fishing amongst the Salvages THose Salvages that dwell to the North-ward fish in another manner than the Southern People The former take all sorts of Fish with Nets and harping-Irons as we do in Europe They sometimes also catch Fish with Lines but no great Number that way I have seen them fish in a pleasant manner they took a forked piece of Wood double painted to which they put a Net almost in the same manner as we do in Europe for to catch Partridges when that 's done they let it down into the Water and the Fish which are there in far greater Abundance than in our Rivers glide along and when the Salvages perceive that they are entred into the Net then they draw it up which is in Form somewhat like a pair of Pincers the Fish that are taken therein being held by the Gils The Iroquoise now and then in their Fishing time make use of a Net forty or fifty Fathoms long which they put in a great Cannow of Wood and then spread it out in an Oval Form to the most commodious Places of the Rivers and indeed I have sometimes admired their Dexterity therein I have known them take sometimes above four hundred Whitings larger than our ordinary Carps and amongst others several Sturgeons pulled out of the River with Nets made of Nettles In this way of Fishing its necessary that two Men hold the two Ends of this sort of Net and wrap it up exactly as occasion requires whereby they catch a prodigious Quantity of Fish especially in the River Nagara which are very good and of excellent Taste There is such plenty of Fish in this Place that 't is capable of furnishing the greatest City in Europe with Fishes of divers Kinds neither is it to be wonder'd at for the Fishes do continually swim up from the Sea towards the Spring of the River for fresh Water the River of St. Lawrence receives about this part of the Niugara a vast quantity of Waters from four great Lakes of which we have spoken and which are little Seas of fresh Water now this Deluge of Water coming to discharge and precipitate it self by the greatest and most frightful Fall that is in the whole World the infinite number of Fish that take pleasure to come and refresh themselveves in those Waters continue there because they are not able to get over this Cataract and hence it is that such a vast quantity of Fish may be caught there as are sufficient for the Subsistence of the greatest City in the Universe During the time of my Embassage from Fort de Frontenac I was to see the great Fall of Water which comes from a Northern River and discharges it self into a great Basin of the Lake Ontario capable to hold above an hundred Men of War in great Safety Being there I taught the Salvages to take Fish with their Hands I caused Trees to be felled down in the Spring near unto the forementioned Fall and this I did that I might lye down without wetting my self I found there a vast number of Fishes of divers sorts after I had a little tickled them with my Hand I took fast hold of them by the Gills and when at several times I had taken fifty or sixty great Fishes I went to warm and refresh my self in order to return fresh again to the Sport I put the Fish I had taken into a Sack which a Salvage held in his

Drum which agrees pretty well with the Voices The Person who dances with the Calumet gives a Signal to one of their Warriours who takes a Bow and Arrows with an Ax from the Trophy already mention'd and fights the other who defends himself with the Calumet alone both of them dancing all the while The Fight being over he who holds the Calumet makes a Speech wherein he gives án Account of the Battels he has fought and the Prisoners he has taken and then receives a Gown or any other Present from the Chief of the Ball. He giv●s then the Calumet to another who having acted his Part gives it to another and so of all others till the Calumet returns to the Captain who presents it to the Nation invited unto that Feast as a Mark of their Friendship and a Confirmation of their Alliance I can't pretend to be so much Master of their Language as to judge of their Songs but methinks they are very witty We parted from the Illinois towards the middle of Iune about 3 a-clock and fell down the River looking for another call'd Pakitanoni which runs from the North-West into the Mississipi of which I shall speak anon As we follow'd the Banks I observ'd on a Rock a Simple which I take to be very extraordinary It s Root is like small Turnips link'd together by some Fibres of the same Root which tastes like Carrots From that Root springs a Leaf as large as one's Hand and about an Inch thick with some Spots in the middle from whence spring also some other Leaves each of them bearing five or six yellow Flowers like little Bells We found abundance of Mulberries as good and as big as ours and another Fruit which we took at first for Olives but it tastes like Orange We found another Fruit as big as an Egg and having cut it in two Pieces we found the inside was divided into sixteen eighteen and twenty small Cells or Holes and in each of them a Fruit like our Almonds which is very sweet tho' the Tree stinks Its Leaves are like our Walnut-Tree's We saw also in the Meadows a Fruit like our Filbirds The Tree which bears it has its Leaves much broader than ours and at the End of the Branches there is a kind of a Purse like a Turnbole in which the Filbirds are lock'd up Along the Rocks I have mention'd we found one very high and steep and saw two Monsters painted upon it which are so hideous that we were frighted at the first Sight and the boldest Savages dare not fix their Eyes upon them They are drawn as big as a Calf with two Horns like a Wild-Goat Their Looks are terrible tho' their Face has something of Humane Figure in it Their Eyes are Red their Beard is like that of a Tyger and their Body is cover'd with Scales Their Tail is so long that it goes o'er their Heads and then turns between their Fore-Legs under the Belly ending like a Fish-Tail There are but three Colours viz. Red Green and Black but those Monsters are so well drawn that I cannot believe that the Savages did it and the Rock whereon they are painted is so steep that it is a Wonder to me how it was possible to draw those Figures But to know to what purpose they were made is as great a Mystery Whatever it be our best Painters wou'd hardly do better As we fell down the River following the gentle Stream of the Waters and discoursing upon those Monsters we heard a great Noise of Waters and saw several Pieces of Timber and small floating Islands which were hudled down the River Pekitanoni The Waters of this River are so muddy because of the violence of its Stream that it is impossible to drink of it and they spoil the Clearness of the Mississipi and make its Navigation very dangerous in this Place This River runs from the North-West and I hope to discover in following its Channel towards its Source som● other River that discharges it self into the Mar Marvejo or the Caliphornian-Gulph The Savages told me That about six Days Journey from its Mouth there is a Meadow of thirty Leagues broad at the end whereof directly to the North-West is a small River which is near navigable for Canow's and runs to the South-West into a Lake from which springs a deep River which runs directly Westward into the Sea which certainly must be the Mar Vermejo and I hope I shall have one time or other the opportunity to undertake that Discovery to instruct those poor Nations who have been so long ignorant of their Creator But leaving this Digression I return to the Mississipi About 20 Leagues lower than the Pekitanoni we met another River call'd Ouabouskigo● which runs into the Mississipi in the Latitude of 36 degrees but before we arriv'd there we pass'd through a most formidable Place to the Savages who believe that a Manitoa or Devil resides in that Place to deliver such who are so bold as to come near it They had told us dreadful Stories to deter us from our Undertaking but this terrible Manitoa proves nothing but some Rocks in a turning of the River about thirty foot high against whom the Stream runs with a great violence and being beaten back by the Rocks and Island near it the Waters make a great noise and flow with a great rapidity through a narrow Canal which is certainly very dangerous to unskilful Canow-men This River Ouabouskigou comes from the Eastward the Chuoanous inhabit its Banks and are so numerous that I have been inform'd there are thirty eight Villages of that Nation situated on this River This People is much infected by the Iroquois who make a cruel War upon them without any Provocation but only bec●use they are a poor harmless Nation unacquainted with any Arms. They take them without any resistance and carry them into Slavery A little above the Mouth of the River we saw some Downs wherein our Men discover'd a good ●ron-Mine They saw several Veins of it and a Lay of about a foot thick There is also a great quantity of it adhering to the Flints some of which they broug●t into our Canow There is also a kind of fat Earth of three different Colours viz. Purple Violet and Red which turns the Water into a deep Blood-colour We found also a red Sand very heavy I put some upon my Oar which immediately became red and the Waters could not wash it away for a Fortnight together We had seen no Reeds or Canes but they begin to be so thick ●n this Place that Wild Oxen can hardly go through them They grow very high and big and their Knots are crown'd with several Leaves long and sharp the greenness whereof is incomparable We had not been troubled hitherto with Gnats but they began to be very troublesom to us a little lower in the Ouabouskigou The Savages who inhabit this Country are oblig'd to build their Huts in a different manner from the

Latitude CHAP. XX. An Account of what hapned in our Passage from the Lake Erie unto the Lake Huron I Had often advis'd M. la Salle to make a Settlement upon the Streight between the Lake Erie and Ontario where the Fishery is more plentiful for that Settlement would have been very advantageous to us to maintain our Communication with Fort Frontenac I told him also that it were fit to leave in that Settlement the Smith he and M. la Motte had promis'd to the Iroquois and that it would be a means to engage that wild Nation into our Inteeest and to trade only with us whereby he would grow rich in a little time But M. la Salle and the Adventurers who were with him would not hearken to my Advice and told me that they would make no Settlement within 100 Leagues of their Fort lest other Europeans should get before them into the Country they were going to discover This was their Pretence but I soon observ'd that their Intention was to buy all the Furrs and Skins of the remotest Savages who as they thought did not know their Value and so inrich themselves in one single Voyage I endeavour'd also to perswade him to make a settlement upon this charming Streight for being in the midst of so many Nations of Savages we could not but have a good Trade amongst them This was the Argument I made use of but the main Reason which I kept to my self was to have an Opportunity to preach the Gospel to those ignorant Nations M. la Salle would by no means hearken to my Advice and told me he wonder'd at my Proposal considering the great Passion I had a few Months before for the Discovery of a New Country The Current of that Streight is very violent but not half so much as that of Niagara and therefore we sail'd up with a brisk Gale and got into the Streight between the Lake Huron and the Lake St. Claire this last is very shallow especially at its Mouth The Lake Huron falls into this of St. Claire by several Canals which are commonly interrupted by Sands and Rocks We sounded all of them and found one at last about one League broad without any Sands its depth being every where from three to eight Fathoms Water We sail'd up that Canal but were forced to drop our Anchors near the Mouth of the Lake for the extraordinary quantity of Waters which came down from the Superiour Lake and that of Illionois because of a strong North-West Wind had so much augmented the Rapidity of the Current of this Streight that it was as violent as that of Niagara The Wind turning Southerly we sail'd again and with the help of twelve Men who hall'd our Ship from the Shoar got safely the 23d of August into the Lake Huron We sung Te Deum a second time to return our Thanks to the Almighty for our happy Navigation We found in that Lake a large Bay the Banks of which the ancient Hurons inhabited They were converted to the Christian Religion by the first Franciscans that came into Canada but the Iroquois have in a great measure destroy'd that Nation CHAP. XXI An Account of our Navigation on the Lake Huron to Missilimakinak HAving thus travell'd above 300 Leagues from Quebec to the Lake Huron notwithstanding the rapid Currents and Lakes we went through we continu●d our Voyage from the Mouth of this Lake steering our Course North-North-East but the next Day finding our selves near the Land we steer'd North-North-West and cross'd a Bay call'd Sakinam which may be thirty Leagues broad The 24th we run the same Course but were becalm'd between some Islands where we found but two Fathoms Water which oblig'd us to make an easie sail part of the Night to look for a good Anchorage but in vain and the Wind turning then Westerly we bore to the North to avoid the Coast till the Day appear'd We sounded all the Night long because our Pilot though a very Understanding Man was somewhat negligent The 25th we lay becalm'd till Noon but then run North-West with a brisk Southerly Gale The Wind turning South West we bore to the North to double a Cape but then the Wind grew so violent that we were forc'd to lie by all the Night The 26th the Storm continuing we brought down our Main Yards and Top-Mast and let the Ship drive to the Mercy of the Wind knowing no place to run into to shelter our selves M. la Salle notwithstanding he was a Courageous Man began to fear and told us we were undone and therefore every body fell upon his Knees to say his Prayers and prepare himself for Death except our Pilot whom we could never oblige to Pray and he did nothing all that while but Curse and Swea● against M. la Salle who as he said had brought him thither to make him perish in a nasty Lake and lose the Glory he had acquir'd by his long and happy Navigations on the Ocean However the Wind being somewhat abated we hoisted up our Sail and so we drove not above two Leagues The 27th in the Morning we continu'd our Course North-West with a South-East Wind which carry'd us the same Day to Missilimakinak where we anchor'd in a Bay at six Fathoms Water upon a slimy white Bottom That Bay is shelter'd by the Coast and a Bank from the South-West to the North but it lies expos'd to the South which is very violent in that Country Missilimakinak is a Neck of Land to the North of the Mouth of the Streight through which the Lake of the Illinois discharges it self into the Lake Huron That Canal is about three Leagues long and one broad About fifteen Leagues to the Eastward of Missilimakinak there is another Point at the Mouth of the Streight whereby the Superiour Lake runs into that of Huron which Streight is about five Leagues broad at its Mouth and about fifteen Leagues long but it grows narrow towards the Fall of St. Mary which is a rapid Stream interrupted by several Rocks However a Canow may go up by one side but it requires a great Fatigue and therefore the safest and easiest way is to make a Portage above the Fall to go and Trade with the Savages inhabiting the Banks of the Superiour Lake We lay between two different Nations of Savages those who inhabit the Point of Missilimakinak are call'd Hurons and the others who are about three or four Leagues more Northward are Outtaouatz Those Savages were equally surpriz'd to see a Ship in their Country and the Noise of our Cannon of which we made a general Discharge fill'd them with a great Apprehension We went to see the Outtaouatz and celebrated the Mass in their Habitation M. la Salle was finely dress'd having a Scarlet Cloak with a broad Gold Lace and most of his Men with their Arms attended him The Chief Captains of that People receiv'd us with great Civilities after their own way and some of them came on board with us

had another opportunity of persecuting us af●esh He had so dexterously manag'd the matter with the Warriours of his Party that it was one Day impracticable for us to encamp near the young Chief Narh●toba who protected us but were forc'd to go and place our selves with our Canow and Effects at the end of the Camp Then it was that these Barbarians gave us to understand that the aforesaid Captain was fully resolv'd to have our ●eads This oblig'd us to have recourse once more to our Chest and to take out twenty Knives and some Tobacco which we distributed among them with an Air that sufficiently testify'd our Discontent The unreasonable Wretch look'd earnestly upon his Followers one after another as if he were in doubt what to do and consequently to demand their Advice whether he ought to receive our Present or refuse it But whilst we were inclining our Necks and delivering him the Ax the young Commander who seem'd to be our Protector and it may be really was came and snatch'd us by the Arm and all in a rage hurry'd us away to his Cabin His Brother too taking up some Arrows broke 'em in our sight to assure us by that Action that he would protect our Lives at the hazard of his own The next Day they left us alone in our Canow without putting any of their Men a-board to assist us as they had hitherto done However they kept all in the reer of us After rowing four or five Leagues another of their Captains came up to us and made us land As soon as we got on shoar he fell to cutting of Grass which he made into three little Heaps and bade us sit down upon them Then he took a piece of Cedar which was full of little round Holes into one of which he thrust a Stick of a harder Substance than the Cedar and began to rub it about pretty fast between the Palms of his Hands till at length it took fire The use he put it to was to light the Tobacco in his Great Pipe and after he had wept some time over us and laid his Hands on our Heads he made me smoak in a Calumet or Pipe of Peace and then a●quainted us by Signs that within sixteen Days we should be at home CHAP. LI. Ceremonies us'd by the Savages when they share their Prisoners Continuation of our Iourney by Land HAving thus travell'd nineteen Days in our Canow by Water we arriv'd at length within five or six Leagues of the Fall to which we had formerly given the Name of St. Anthony as we came to understand afterwards Here the Barbarians order'd us to land in a Creek of the River Meschasipi after which they held an Assembly to consult what they were to do with us In short they separated and gave us to three of their Chiefs instead of three of their Sons which had been kill'd in the War Then they seiz'd our Canow and took away all our Equipage The Canow they pull'd to pieces for fear it might assist us to return to their Enemies Their own they hid amongst the Alders to use again when they should have occasion to hunt that way So that though we might have gone conveniently enough quite up into their Country by Water yet were we oblig'd by their Conduct to travel no less than sixty Leagues a-foot Our ordinary Marches were from break of Day till ten at Night And when we met with any Rivers we swam them themselves who for the most part are of an extraordinary size carrying our Clothes and Equipage on their Heads and the Canow-men who were less than me upon their Shoulders because they could not swim As I us'd to come out of the Water which was often full of Ice for we travell'd still North I was hardly able to stand upon my Legs In these Parts the Frosts continue all night even at this time of the Year so that our Legs were all over Blood being cut by the Ice which we broke by degrees in our Passage as we waded o'er the Lakes and Rivers We never eat but once in four and twenty Hours and then nothing but a few Scraps of Meat dry'd in the Smoak af●er their Fashion which they afforded us with abundance of reg●et I was so weak that I often lay me down resolving rather to die than follow these Savages any farther who travell'd at a rate so extraordinary as far surpasses the Strength of any European However to hasten us they sometimes set fire to the dry Grass in the Meadows through which we pass'd so that our Choice was march or burn I had a Hat which I had taken with me to fence me from the Sun during the Heats of the Summer This would often fall from my Head into the Fire because it was not over-fit and the Fire so very near The Barbarians would snatch it out again and lend me a hand to save me from the Flames which they had kindled as well to hasten our March as I have said as to give notice to their People of their return I must here acknowledge that had it not been for du Gay who did all he could to encourage me through the whole Course of this tiresome March I had certainly sunk under the Fatigues of it having neither Spirits nor Strength left to support me CHAP. LII A great Contest arises amongst the Savages about dividing our Merchandise and Equipage as also my Sacerdotal Ornaments and little Chest. AFter having travell'd about sixty Leagues a-foot and undergone all the Fatigues of Hunger Thirst and Cold besides a thousand Outrages daily done us in our Persons after we had march'd Night and Day without ceasing wading thro' Lakes and Rivers and sometimes swam As we now began to approach the Habitations of the Barbarians which are situated in Morasses inaccessible to their Enemies they thought it a proper time to divide the Merchandise which they had taken from us Here they had like to have fallen out and ●ut one another's Throats about the Roll of Martinico-Tobacco which might still weigh about fifty Pound These People value this Commodity far beyond what we do Silver or Gold They have very good of their own growth but this was so well dress'd and made up into such beautiful Rings that they were perfectly charm'd with it The most reasonable amongst them made us understand by Signs that they would give their Canow-men several Castor-Skins in return for what they had taken But others looking upon us as Slaves because they said we had furnish'd Arms to their Enemies maintain'd that they were no ways oblig'd to make any return for the Things they had taken The reason why they divided the Spoil here was because this Band was compos'd of two or three different People So that those that liv'd at a distance were apprehensive lest the others who were just at home might detain all the Merchandise which they had taken in the first Villages they should come at and therefore were resolv'd to

Which distance indeed is not to be taken in a streight Line through the Meadows but according to the many Windings of the River Meschasipi otherwise there would be but five days Journey thence They pass'd then over the River Ouabache on the 26th of August and they had about 60 Leagues travelling up the River Meschasipi to the Mouth of the River of the Illinois About six Leagues lower than that Mouth is found to the North-West the famous River of the Massourites or Ozages which is at least as broad as the River into which it runs It is form'd by a great number of other Rivers known and navigable all over the Countries adjacent to which are inhabited by very numerous Nations as the Panimohas who have but one Head and 22 Villages the lesser whereof consists of 200 Cottages the Paneassas Panas Panelogas and Matotantes none of which are inferiour to the Panimahas Amongst them are comprehended also the Ozanges who make up seventeen Villages on the River of the same Name which loses it self into that of the Massourite Our Maps as well as those of M. de la Salle have also spread thither the Name of Ozanges The Akansas were formerly seated at the upper part of one of those Rivers which conserves yet their Name to this Day which I have also mention'd towards the middle of the way from the River Ouabache to that of the Massourites There stands the Cape of St. Anthony of Padua and those Parts are inhabited by the Savages of the Nation call'd Mansopolea At last on the 5th of September M. Cavelier a Priest of the Seminary of St. Sulpicius at Paris and Father Anastasius a Recollect Friar of Douai arriv'd at the Mouth of the Illinois River from whence they reckon to Fort Crevecoeur about 100 Leagues as I have observ'd in my First Tome All that Road is very commodious for Navigation even for big Ships A Chaovenon nam'd Turpin having perceiv'd them from his Village ran by Land to carry the News of it to M. Bellefonteine Commander of that Fort. He could not believe what the Man said but they following the Savage very near entred the Fort on the 14th of September They were immediately conducted to the Chapel where the T'e Deum was sung for a Thansgiving The Canadians having put themselves in Arms with some Savages gave them a Salvo with the firing ōf their Guns M. Tonti who was design'd by M. de la Salle to Command in Crevecoeur Fort was gone to the Iroquois Countrey to endeavour to manage the Spirits of those Barbarians But these Travellers nevertheless met there with all the good Reception that was possible and M. Bellefonteine forgot nothing to express his Joy of their arrival to comfort them of their Misfortunes and to refresh them after their Fatigues We ought to confess that it is not possible for any to avoid his Destiny This notwithstanding one cannot but acknowledge that M. de la Salle's case was very fatal He did undertake that Journey with the Design to find out the Mouth of Meschasipi and he died without success in it and a little after his Death his Brother with Father Anastasius and those who accompany'● them in their Journey by means of that River do arrive into the Country of the Illinois 'T is certain however that there is a very fine Port at the Mouth of that River according to my Observation in the Year 1680. The Entry into it is very fine as it may be easily perceived Of three Branche● which do compass that Mouth I have always follow'd the middle Channel the Mouth of it is commodious and there are several Grounds fit for to build Fortresses upon out of danger of being worsted by the Waters as it was supposed heretofore The Countries about the lower parts of the River are habitable and even inhabited by several Salvage Nations which are not very far distant from it The biggest Vessels may go up the River above two Hundred Leagues from the Gulf of Mexico and so mount to the Mouth of the River of the Illiniens which River is Navigable more than an Hundred Leagues and then discharges it self into Meschasipi I had almost forgot some other Nations which are situated towards the lower end of the same River as the Pichenos Ozanbogus Tangibaos Ottonicas Movisas and several others which do easily slip out of ones Memory for want of Time and Conveniency in Travelling and of making due Observations upon the● It is very probable that Mr. d● la Salle who not finding that the Mouth of that River discharged it self into the Sea thought that the Bay of St. Lewis was but Forty or Fifty Lagues distant from the Mouth of one of its Arms at least it seem'd so in a streight Line But by misfortune he never was there and so did not find ●it out God having set Limits to all the Enterprizes of Men and Bounds to their Hearts as well as to the vast Ocean God no doubt hath permitted it so to be to the end Father Anastasius who is now Vicar of the Recollect Fryers of Cambray should make the Discovery of one Hundred and Ten Nations upon his Road instead of Mr. de la Salle's not reckoning several other wild People known to those through whom he took his Way by reason of their Trading one with another and yet are unknown at this day to the Europeans These Nations as I have observed have Horses for all sorts of Use in great Numbers and the Salvages think to have made a good Bargain when they get an Ax for an Horse Father Anastasius was departed from the Bay of St. Lewis in the Gulf of Mexico with design to fix his abode amongst the Coenesians and Establish there his Mission Father Zenobe Mambre a Recollect who remained in that Bay was to go and join him for to spread it among the Neighbouring Nations and they expected more Labourers from Europe But the fatal Death of Mr. de la Salle having obliged him to go further he doubts not but the said Father Zenobe is gon to look after him And perhaps he is now in those Countries with Father Maximus a Recollect of L'Isle in Fland●rs having left Mr. Chefdeville a Missionary of Saint Sulpitius to look after the Mission in the Port of that Bay He made choice himself of that place because there were nine or ten European Families with their Children there Moreover there are some of Mr. de la Salle's Men who have Married wild Women for the increase of their little Colony This is an Abstract of what Father Anastasius hath writ of his laborious Journey and no body knows what is become of those poor Men since Father Anastasius concealed the deplorable end of Mr. de la Salle it being his Duty as well as of Mr. Cavelier the Priest to give the first News of it to the Court and to secure by this secrecy the Effects belonging to the Deceased Mr. de la Salle in the above mention'd