[sulte] RADISSON in THE NORTHWEST, 1661-63 229 



there came 8 ambassadors from the nation of Nadoucseronnons, that 

 we will call now the Nation of the beefe .... They weeped 

 uppon our heads untill we weare wetted by their tears .... We 

 understood not a word of their language, being quite contrary to those 

 that we weare with .... There was nothing but feasting for 8 

 dayes .... In 3 dayes' time there arrived eighteen severall 

 nations .... As we became to the number of 500, we held a 

 councell .... They made a large fort .... Soone 30 

 yong men of the nation of the beefe arrived, having nothing but bows 

 and arrows, with very short garments, to be the nimbler in chasing 

 the stagges .... The Elders of their village weare to come the 

 nioirnw to renew the friendship and to make it with the ffrench 

 . . . . The day following they arrived with an incredible pomp. 

 This made me thinke of the Intrance that the Polanders did in Paris, 

 saving that they had not so many Jewells, but instead of them, they had 

 so many feathers .... We are called to the counsell .... 

 Our Interpreter tell them that the Christines weare our brethren . . . 

 that if they would continue the warres (against the Christines) that 

 was not the meanes to see us againe in their Countrey .... A 

 company of about 50 weare dispatched to warne the Christine? of what 

 we had done. I went myselfe, where *^ we arrived the 3rd day. I was 

 received with great demonstration of ffriendshippe. All that day we 

 feasted, danced and sing .... There weare about 600 men 

 . . . . The snow blinded me .... The meane while that we 

 are there, arrived above a thousand that had not l^en there but for those 

 two redoubted nations that weare to see them doe what they never before 

 had, a difference which was executed with a great deale of mirth 

 . . . . There weare playes, mirths, and bataills for sport .... 

 each plaid his part. In the publick place the women danced with 

 melody .... This feast ended, every one retourns to his coun- 

 trey well satisfied. To he as good as our words, we came to the 

 nation of the beefe, which was seaven small Journeys ^^ from that 

 place. We promised in like maner lo the Christines the next spring 

 we should come to their side of the upper lake *^ and there they should 

 meete us, to come into their countrey. We being arrived amongst that 

 nation of the beefe, we wondred to finde ourselves in a towne ** where 

 weare great cabbans mostly covered with skins and other close matts. 

 They tould us they weare 7,000 men,*^ This we believed. Those have 

 as many wives as they can keepe. If any one did trespasse upon the 

 other, his nose was cutt off, and other the crowne of his head. The 

 maidens have all maner of freedom, but are forced to raary when they 

 come to the age. The more they Ijeare children the more they are 



