Ch. VII. SOUTH AMERICA. 377 



him lord of the country, but without any alteration 

 in their way of living; or fubmitt'ng themfelves to 

 his laws ; and fo far were they from paying any tri- 

 bute, that they received annually from F'^ince a quan- 

 tity of apparel, gunpowder, and muficets, brandy, 

 and feveral kinds of tools, in order to keep them 

 quiet and attached to the French intereft : and this 

 has alio been the politic pradice of that crown with 

 regard to the favages of Canada. For the fame end 

 priefts were fent among them to inll:ru6l them in 

 the chriftian religion, and performing divine fervice 

 and all the other offices of the church, as bcipiifm, 

 burial, &c. And as the end to be anfwered was of 

 the higheft importance to the French commerce, the 

 perfons chofcn for thefe religious expeditions were 

 men of parts, elocution, graceful carriage, and irre- 

 proachable lives : and accordingly they behaved with 

 that prudence, condefcenfion, and gentjenefs towards 

 the Indians under their care, that befides the uni- 

 verfal veneration paid to their perfons, their converts 

 looked upon them as their fathers; and, with all 

 the tendernefs of filial affeflion, ihared with them 

 what they caught in hunting, and the produce of 

 their fields. 



L'IsLE Royale had only one of thefe miffionaries who 

 was the Abbe Mallard ; one affiduous perlón being 

 fufficient for the fev/ Indians which inhabit this and the 

 adjacent iflands. 



These Indians, like thofe of Canada, live in mi- 

 grating companies ; and though chrillians, and already 

 formed into villages, ftay but a fmall time in 

 one place: accordingly they run up their dwellings 

 very flightly, knowing that they foon fhall leave 

 them. Their firft bufinefs in a new place where they 

 intend to fettle lome time, is to builu a chapel and a 

 dwelling for the prieft; afterwards every one builds 

 himfelf a hut, and here they remain two, three, four, 

 fix months, or more, accordi:.^ to the plenty of 



game 



