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years ; affording a light by night, and a thick 

 smoke by day, which has deceived and endan- 

 gered vessels approaching the shoal waters on 

 this coast. There is emitted from this burning 

 coal, a gummy substance, which the Spaniards 

 call cheta; it is thrown on the shore by the surf, 

 and collected in considerable quantities ; it has a 

 strong aromatic smell, and not disagreeable to 

 the taste. It is collected for the purpose of chew- 

 ing, for which the Spaniards have a particular 

 fondness. 



The Cances are very numerous, consisting of 

 a large number of different bands, occupying dif- 

 ferent parts of the country, from the bay of Saint 

 Bernard, cross the river Grand, towards La Vera 

 Cruz. They are unfriendly to the Spaniards, and 

 kill them when they have opportunity ; but are 

 strongly attached to the French. They princi- 

 pally use the bow, and are good hunters. These 

 people are very particular in their dress, differ- 

 ing from most of the other Indians. The dress 

 of the men is straight leather leggins, which resem- 

 ble pantaloons, and a leather hunting shirt, or 

 frock. The women dress in a long, loose robe, 

 which so entirely covers them, that nothing but 

 their heads and feet are to be seen. No estimate 

 can be made of the numbers of this nation. The 

 Spaniards made slaves of these Indians, and sold 

 numbers of them to the French at Natchitoches ; 

 but this practice was prohibited by the King of 

 Spain, and those made slaves were emancipated . 



