VOL. XV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 153 



Description de la Louisiane Nouvellement Decouverte au Sud Quest de la Nouvelle 

 France; par Louis Hennepin, Missionnaire Recollet, &c. A Par. l683, 8vo. 

 N° 170, p. 98O. 



The voyage here described was begun under the conduct of M. de la Salle, 

 at the latter end of the year ]678, from the fort of Frontenac, in about 45" 

 north latitude, being the most western plantation of the French in the river of 

 St. Lawrence. It was continued behind most of the territories of the king of 

 England on the continent of America, first through the lake of Frontenac or 

 Ontorio, being 80 leagues long, and 25 or 30 leagues broad; next through the 

 lake of Conty or Erie; then through the lake of Orteney or des Hurons; lastly 

 through the lake Dauphin or Illinois. These last three lakes are near of an 

 equal compass, being about 120 or 130 leagues long, and 40 or 50 leagues 

 broad. At the further end of the lake Dauphin, in about 37° latitude, the 

 voyagers went up a river south, till they came to a certain pass, of about a 

 league and a half over land, leading to the river Illinois, or Segnelay, which, 

 after about 200 leagues, falls into the river Mechacipy (Mississippi) or Colbert; 

 and that, after about 120 or 130 leagues more, runs into the bay of Mexico. 

 These last 1 30 leagues are taken from the relations of others, and were not tra- 

 velled by the author; but instead of that, he makes amends with 500 leagues 

 rowed up the river Mechacipy, in a canoe or bark against the stream. 



The mouth of the river Seignelay is in about 36^° latitude; the river Colbert 

 there about, is a league broad, and in some places two. 



The countries Illinois and Louisiana are described to have large meadows, 

 plenty of trees for ship-building, vines and hemp growing naturally, and also to 

 yield plumbs, cherries, citrons, apples, pears, walnuts, small nuts, gooseberries, 

 Indian, and other wheat, turnips, melons, pumpkins, cabbage, and variety of 

 pulse; to abound in Indian cows, deer, goats, beavers, otters, porcupines, tor- 

 toises, also wolves, bears, and wild cats; several sorts of fowls, as swans, tur- 

 keys, bustards, herons, crows, ducks, partridges, wild pigeons, parrots, &c. 

 For fish, to have sturgeons, salmons, salmon trouts, pikes, carps, eels, turbots, 

 and several other kinds, not known in our parts. There are also mines of coal, 

 slate, and iron, small pieces of pure copper, a fountain of salt, and alum, and 

 doubtless other things not discoverable by so slight a survey. 



^n EssQT/ on the great Effects of even, languid, and unheeded Motions. London, 



l685. N° 170, p. 982. 



The author of this essay (Mr. Boyle) says, it was designed to facilitate the 

 explaining the doctrine of occult qualities; and premises this postulatum in 

 VOL. III. X 



