86 An HiJioTÎcal Journal of 



Among the Fifh with which the Lake Champlain^ and {^he Ri- 



Of the Armed ^^^^ which flow into it, abound, M. ^Chatn- 

 ^,pj " plain obferved one pretty iingular, which he 



'•^ * calls Chaoufarou, probably from the Name 



Çiven it by the Savages. It is a particular Species of the Armed 

 i^ifh, which is found in many Places. This has a Body nearly 

 of the fame Shape as a Pike, but it is covered with Scales 

 that are Proof againll the Stab of a Dagger ; Its Colour is a 

 ill ver grey, and there grows under his Mouth a long bony Sub- 

 llance, jagged at the Edges, hollow, and with a Hole at the End 

 of it; which gives Reafon tojudge, that it breaths by it : The 

 Skin that covers it is tender : The Length of it is proportioned 

 to that of the Fifh, of which it makes a third Part. It is 

 two Fingers in Breadth in the fmalleil. The Savages a/Tured M. 

 Champlai?! that fome of thefe Fifli v/ere eight or ten Feet long, 

 but the largeil he faw were but five Feet, and about as thick as 

 a Man's Thigh. 



One m.ay eafily conceive that fuch an Animal is a Ravager 

 .7^-. p^rj^ among the Inhabitants of the Water, but one 

 catches B^rds would not imagine that it fliould make War 



ca CÛ s li s. v^rith the Inhabitants of the Air ; which he 



does, however, with much Art, in this Manner: He hides him- 

 felf in the Reeds in fach a Manner, that only this Inllrument 

 of his is to be feen, which he thrufts out of the Water in an up- 

 right Pofition ; the Birds that want to reft themfelves take this 

 for a dry Reed, or Piece of Wood, and perch upon it. They 

 are no fooner on it, than the Fifh opens his Mouth, and makes 

 fuch a fudden Motion to feize his Prey, that it feldom efcapes 

 him. The Teeth which edge the Inftrument that he ufes to 

 fuch good Purpofe, are pretty long and very fharp. The Sa- 

 vages fay, that they are a fovereign Remed}' again ft the Head- 

 Ach, and that pricking with one of thefe Te^di where the Pain 

 is iliarpeft, takes it av^^ay inftantly. 



Tlicfe People have a wonderful Skill in ftriking Fifh in the 

 • ^ Water, efpecially in the Torrents. They fifh 

 . ^ ^ ^ alio with tne Sem, and they have an odd Ce- 



remony before they ufe this Net. They marry 

 it to two young Maids, and during the Wedding Feaft they 

 place it between the two Brides. They exhort it very ferioufly 

 to take a great many Fifh, and they think to engage it to do 

 fo by making great Prefents to its pretended Fathers -in-Law. 



The Sturgeon here is a Sea and a frefh Water Fifh ; for they 



r\r x:r ' r ^^^^ upon the Coafts of Canada, and in the 

 U/ jijmng for ^^^^^ ^l^.^j^ ^^.^^^ j^.^^^ 



bturgeon, ^^^^^^ y^^^^ ?Qo^\t think it is the real D9I- 



phin of the Antlents ; if this is true^ it was fitting that this 



King 



