LOUISIANA. 187 



The Englifh prifoners, to the number of for- 

 ty, taken in the fort, were divided among the 

 French and Indians, who Gripped them accor- 

 ding to their cuftom, plucked out their beards 

 and hair, and, at the requeft of the French, 

 they only made them flaves. But the French 

 officers, and the humaneft among the French in- 

 habitants of the Illinois, joined together, and re- 

 leafed them, by making a prefent to that nation 

 who treated their prifoners like dogs, only be- 

 caufe they were our enemies, and becaufe they 

 thought of making themfelves great with us ^. 



From the village of the Koakias we arrived 

 at the PeoriaSy allies of the Illinois, through a 

 fine large meadow, which is twenty-five leagues 

 long. The favages who were with me, killed 

 fome little birds with flicks, and called them 

 flrawberry-bills. Thefe birds, whofe plumage 

 is varied with many colours, are as good to eat 

 as the heccafigos in Provence. The Indians told' 

 me, that they are birds of flight or of pafTage, 

 and that they affemble in flocks every year like 



iparrows. 



* From a natural kind of antipathy between the two na- 

 tions, the French take every opportunity to deprefs the Eng- 

 lifh, and to raife themfelves above them, fometimes at rii« 

 expence of truth, F. 



