LOUISIANA. 193 



could prove fatal to them v and that I would go 

 on purpofe a-crofs the great lake in order to de- 

 liver them of it. He found my reafons good^ 

 and by means of the little prefent I gave him, 

 he got the fentence changed, and he Was ordered 

 to be killed with clubs : As I defired to have 

 the monfter, without being mutilated, I inform- 

 ed them that they muft deliver it to my people, 

 who would ftrangle it ; for if any of their na- 

 tion killed it, fome misfortune or other might 

 happen to him from it. They dill approved 

 my reafons, and delivered the animal to me, on 

 condition that I Ihould carry it far from their 

 country. It was accordingly ftrangled ; but 

 having neither fpirits of wine nor brandy to pre- 

 ferve it in, I v/as obliged to get it diffedbed, iri 

 order to be able to bring it to France^ to fatisfy 

 your curiofity in regard to fubjecls of natural 

 hiftory '^* 



I fhall finifh this letter by another account 

 of the. fuperftition of thefe peoplej and of the 

 divine fervice they give to horrid animals. In 



Vol. I. O 1756 



* The ikeleton of this monfter, or falfe divinity,- is now 

 in the natural hiftory cabinet of M. Je Fqy elks, clerk of 

 the office of the American colonies belonging to the 

 French. 



