64 y^n Hijîorical Journal of 



came to fuccour the Place, the Enemy was already marched 



Let us now return to the Chafe. That of the Orignal would 



r^r L vih been lefs profitable to us atprefent, 



U/ the hik, or ^j^^^ ^^^^ Beaver, if our Predeceffors 



Vrtgna . Country had given more Attention to 



the Profits which might have been made of it, and had not al- 

 mofi: entirely deftroyed the Species, at leaft in thofe Places which 

 are within our Reach. 



What they call here the Orignal, is what in Germany^ Polandy 

 /ITS r • ^ and Mufcoajv^ they call the Elk or «Great 

 ihe OrfZl This Animal here, is as big as a 



^ " Horfe, or a Mule of Auvergne, The hind 



Quarters are large, the Tail but only an Inch long, the Hams 

 very high, the Legs and Feet like thofe of a Hart ; a long Hair 

 covers the Withers, the Neck, and the upper Part of the Hams : 

 The Head is above two Feet long, and he carries it out,| which 

 gives him an ill Look : Its Muzzle is large, and leffens in the 

 upper Part like that of a Camel, and'its Noftriis are fo large one 

 may eafily tliruil in half ones Arm. Its Horns are not lefs long 

 than thofe of a Hart, and much wider : They are fiat and forked 

 like thofe of a Deer, and are renewed every Year ; but I know 

 'not if upon the new Growth, they make an Increafe which de- 

 notes the Age of the Animal. 



They fay that the Orignal is fubjedl to the Epilepfy, and 

 when the Fits feize him, he gets over them by fcratching his 

 Ear with his left hind Foot till he draws Blood, which has made 

 the Hoof of this Foot be eileemed a Specific againfi: the falling 

 Sicknefs. It is applied to the Heart of the Patient, and they do the 

 fame to cure the Palpitation of the Heart : They put it alfo into the 

 left Hand of the Perfon who is difordered, and rub his Ear with 

 it : But why fhould they not draw Blood from him alfo, as the 

 Orignal does ? This Hoof is alfo reckoned very good againll 

 the Pleurify Cholick Pains, the Flux, the Vertigo, and the 

 Purples, by reducing it to Powder, and giving it in Water. I 

 have been told that the Algonquins^ who formerly made the Flefh 

 cf this Animal their common Food, were very much fubjed to 

 the Epilepfy, and never ufed this Remedy : Perhaps they had 

 better. TKe Hair of the Orignal is a Mixture of light grey and 

 dark red. It grows hollow as the Beaft grows old, and never 

 lofes its elailic Power : Beat it ever fo long it fprings up 

 again. Mattrefies are ma^eof it, and Saddles. Its Flelli is well 

 tailed, light, and nourilhing ; it would be a Pity that it Ihould 

 caufe the Epilepfy; but our Hunters, who have, lived upon it 

 whole Winters, never found that it had any bad Quality. Its 

 Skin is ftrong, foft and fubftantial; it is made into Shamios, and 



excellent 



