150 TRAVELS THROUGH 



fince held him in great efteem, giving him the 

 name of a true man^ or man of courage, 



I Hiall finiih my letter with the defcription of 

 a very odd and extraordinary ceremony, per- 

 formed by the MiJJouris^ who came hither as am- 

 bafladors, at the time when the Chevalier de 

 Boijhriant commanded here. This tragic (lory 

 ▼;ill at the fame time ferve to teach officers, 

 who, through a noble ambition, afpire to mili- 

 tary commands, that both the theoretical and 

 the pra6lical part of geography ought abfolutely 

 to be underllood by them -, and that it is necet 

 fary they lliould carefully ftudy the interior fitu- 

 ation of a country where they are at war, in or- 

 der to avoid all fiirprifes of the enemy, and to 

 preferve the lives of the men who are under 

 their care. What I Ihall now tell, vnVi fuf- 

 ficiently convince them of this necefTity. 



Spain faw, with great difpleafure, during the 

 regency, our fettlements on the MiJJlfippi : The 

 Englifh too, on their fide, fpared no intrigues to 

 ruin this growing colony, as they do flill in re- 

 gard to thofe upon the banks of the river OhiOy 

 which they fay belongs to them -, and they have 

 like wife laid claim to the Mijftfippi, 

 ''■■■'• In 



