i©2 An Hijîorîcal Journal of 



upon ; and they range themfelves in fuch a Manner, that the 

 woril Markfman may knock down fix at lead with one Shot. 

 They have aîfo found a Way to take many alive, and they feed 

 them till the firil Frofl ; then they kiil them, and lay them up in 

 îheir Store-Rooms, where they keep all the Winter. 



It follows from hence. Madam, that every one here has the Ne- 

 The hatp' Co't ^^^^^^^^ \Mt : They pay little to the King; 

 ditionof th^lnha Inhabitant knows neither Land-Tax nor 



îmît^ofQ^xîzà^^ Pol I- Money ; he has Bread cheap ; Meat and 

 * Filh are not dear ; but Wine and Stuffs, and 

 every Thing they have from France^ is very dear. The mofl to 

 be pitied are the Gentlemen and Officers here, who have only 

 their Salaries, and are burthened with Families : The Women 

 feldom bring any other Portions to their Hufbands than much 

 W^it, Love, Agreeablenefs, and Fruitfulnefs. But as God gives 

 to the Marriages of this Country the BleiTing which he gave to 

 the Patriarchs, they ought alfo, in order to fubfrft fuch numerous 

 Families, to live like the Patriarchs ; but thofe Times are pail. 

 In Ne^-uj France there are more Gentlemen than in all the reft of 

 our Colonies together. The King maintains here twenty-eight 

 Companies of Marines, and three Eiats Majors, Many Families 

 liave been enobled here, and there have remained here feveral 

 OSicers of the Regiment of Carignan- Salières, which have peopled 

 the Country with Gentlemen, the greatefl Part of which find it 

 iiard to live. It would be harder with them Hill, if they were 

 Bot allowed to trade, and if every one here had not a common 

 Vxight to fiili, fhoot, and hunt. 



After all, if they fufFer Want, they are a little to blame them- 



jijr , felves. The Land is eood almoft every 



31 any anou: not , . a * ?^ j j j 



^ ^ / f 7 where, and Ag-ncuiture does not degrade a 



/?C^TU iQ make Ad- r-. ^^ tt ^\ • n 



^ , . Gentleman. Hov/ many Gentlemen in ail 

 n age oj Provinces of France would envy the com.- 



mon Inhabitants of Canada if they knew it ; and thofe who 

 languifh here in a fhameful Indigence, can they be excufed for 

 not embracing a Frofeffion, which the fole Corruption of Man- 

 ners and weak Maxims have degraded from its antient Ho- 

 nour ? We do not know in the World a Country more healthy 

 than this : There prevails here no particular Difeafe ; the Fields 

 and Woods are full of Herbs of wonderful Virtue, and the 

 Trees diftill moft excellent Balfams. Thefe Advantages ought 

 at leail: to keep thofe in this Country who are born here ; but 

 Ficklenefs, and Averfion to diligent and regular Labour, and 

 a Spirit of Independency, have driven out a great Num- 

 ber of young People, and have hindered the'Colony from being 

 peopled. 



Thefe, 



