Travels in North America. 59 



tadied to their Mailers ; who, Reverthelefs, feed them but 

 poorly, and never fondle them : They break them betimes to 

 that Kind of Chace they are intended for, and they are excel- 

 lent Hunters. I have not Time to add any Thing more, for 

 they call me to depart. 



/ am, &:C. 



LETTER VI. 



J Defcription of ihe Country, and the IJlands of Richlieu and St. 

 François. Of the Abenaqui Village. Of the antient Fort of 

 Richlieu, and of thofe that harue been built in each Parijh, A 

 bra^je ASiion of t^vo Canadian Radies, 



Madam, St. François, M^/ri? i !• 



I Departed on the .9th from T yois Rivieres, and crofTed the 

 Lake of St. Peter^ inclining a little to the South. 1 per- 

 formed this Journey in a Sledge, becaufe the Ice was ftill llrong 

 enough to bear all Sorts of Carriages ; and I arrived at Noon 

 at St, François, I employed the Afternoon, and all Yefterday, 

 to vifit this Quarter ; and 1 fliall no\. give you an Account of 

 what I obferved here. 



At the Weft End of Lake St. Pierre, there is a vaft Number of 

 Of the Hands ^^^^^^ Sizes, which they call the 



r D^vifiiy ^ J IJlands of Richlieu ; and turninp^ to the Left, 

 of Kicnlieu, and ^ ^ r i r j r 



^ St Francois when we come from ^ebec, we find iix others, 

 •I * 1 ' which border a pretty deep Bay, into which 

 a River difcharges itfelf, the Spring Head of which is in the 

 Neighbourhood of Ne-iv York, The iHands, the River, and all 

 the Country it waters, bear the Name of St, Francois, Each of 

 thefelflands are about a Mile long ; their Breadth is unequal : 

 The greateft Fart of thofe of Richlieu are fmaller : They were 

 :î11 formerly full of Stags, Deer, Goats, and Elks : Here was 

 aifo a furprizing Plenty of wild Fowl, which is not now very 

 fcarce ; but the great Beafts have difappeared. 



We get alfo excellent Fiih in the River of St, François, and at 

 its Mouth. In Winter they make Holes in the Ice, and let 

 down their Nets of five or fix Fathom long, and they feldom take 

 them up empty. The Filh which they commonly take, are the 

 gilt Fifh, Achigans, and particularly the Mafquinongez, which are 

 a Kind of Pike : It hath a Head larger than ours, and the 

 Mouth under a hooked Snout, which gives them an odd Look.. 

 The Lands of St. Fra?uois, if we may judge by the Trees that 



I 7 g^<5w 



