5 2 An Hiflorical Journal of 



The Ahenaqui Village of Beckancourt is not fo populous as Î t 

 Of the Abena- ^f^) ^^' ^g°' they would be of 

 GVLiFiIla e of Bsc- great Aliikance to us m Cale of a War. 

 Rancourt Thefe Savages are always ready to make In- 



roads into Ne-Lv England y where their Name 

 alone has often carried Terror even into Bojïcn, They would alfo 

 ferve us as eiFeduallv againfl the Iroqucis, to whom they are no 

 ways inferior in Valour> and aie better difcipiined. They ate 

 all Chrifliansj and they have a pretty Chapel, where they prac- 

 ti^ with much Edification all the Exercifes of the Chrijtian E.e- 

 ligion. We muft, neverthelefs, acknovvledge, that they are great- 

 ly fallen from the Fervour which appeared in them the firft 

 Years of their EUablifhment amongft us. They carried them 

 Brandy, which they took a great Liking to, and the Savages never 

 drink but to get drunk. We have learnt by fatal Experience, that 

 in Proportion as thefe People depart from God, in the fame Mea- 

 fure they pay lefs Refpeél to their Pallors, and grow more in 

 the Intereft of the EngUJh. It is greatly to be feared that the 

 Lord will permit them to become our Enemies, to punifh us 

 for having contributed, for a fordid Intereft, to render them vicim 

 ous, as it has already happened to fome other Nations. 



After having embraced the Miffionary of Beckancourt^ (a ) vi- 

 Ç V 4' y/, ^^^^^ Village, and made with him fome for- 

 iiituauon 0/ the ^^^^^j Reflexions which naturally arife from 

 cj irois ^j^^ Diforders I have mentioned, and for 

 . ^ ^ which he is often reduced to groan in the 



Sight of God, I crofled the River St. Laurence to come to this 

 Town. Nothing is more charming than its Situation. It is built 

 upon a gentle Hill of Sand, which is only barren for the Space 

 it may occupy, if it ever becomes a confiderable Town ; 

 for at prefent it is but of little Confequence. It is fur- 

 rounded by whatever can render a Town agreeable and 

 wealthy. The River, which is near half a League wide, runs 

 at the Bottom. Beyond, we fee. a cultivated fruitful Country, 

 that is crowned with the fineft Forells in the World. A little 

 below, and on the fame Side as the Town, the Great River re- 

 ceives another tolerably fine River, which before it mixes its 

 Water with the firfl, receives at the fame Time two others, one 

 to the right and the other to the left, which has given the Name 

 of Trois Rivieres (Three Risers) to the Town. 



Above, and at about the fame Diflance, begins the Lake of 

 CiffU J I f P^^^^^y which is about three Leagues 

 St Pierr rSt ^^^^^ * nothing 



Peter ' bounds the Sight on that Side, and the Sua 



appears to fet in the Waves. This Lake, 

 which is only an Enlargement of the River St. Laurence^ receiveg 

 (^) Father Eufiache Le Sueur. 



many 



