PREFACE. 



Tis a great misfortune that most of our travel- 

 lers, who go to this vast continent in America, 

 are persons of the meaner sort, and generally, of 

 a very slender education ; who being hired by the 

 merchants to trade amongst the Indians, in which 

 voyages they often spend several years, are yet, 

 at their return, incapable of giving any reasona- 

 ble account of what they met withal in those re- 

 mote parts ; though the country abounds with cu- 

 riosities worthy a nice observation. 



In this point, I think the French outstrip us. 



First : by their numerous clergy, their mission- 

 aries being obedient to their superiors in the high- 

 est degree, and that obedience being one great 

 article of their vow, and strictly observed amongst 

 all their orders. 



Secondly : They always send abroad some of 

 their gentlemen in company of the missionaries, 

 who, upon their arrival, are ordered out into the 

 wilderness, to make discoveries, and to acquaint 

 themselves with the savages of America ; and are 

 obliged to keep a strict journal of all the passages 

 they meet withal, in order to present the same not 

 only to their governors and fathers, but likewise 



