Tra^'cels in North America. 129 



excellent Fifli, which they take in fix fine Rivers which are at 

 two or three Leagues DiHance one from the other (a) : We took 

 then to the open Lake, and till Four o'Clock we had no Caufe 

 to repent of it; but then the Windrofe fuddenly, and we would 

 willingly have been nearer the Shore. We made towards the near- 

 eft, from which we were then three Leagues off, and we hjid much 

 Trouble to make it. At length, at Seven at Night we landed at 

 Famine Bay ; thus named, fmce M. de la Barre^ Governor Gene- 

 ral of Ne^ Fra7zce, had like to have loft all his Army here by 

 Hunger and Diftempers, going to make War with the Iroquois. 

 It was Time for us to get to Land ; for the Wind blew ftrong, 

 r ' ' andthe Waves ran fo high, that one would not 



Uejcnpuon of ' ^^^^ ventured to pafs the Seine at Paris, over- 

 i:- amine Bay, againft the Louvre, in fuch W^eather. As to 



the reft, this Place is very £t to deftroy an Army, which depends 

 on the Chace or the Fifhery for their Subfiftençe, befides that 

 the Air appears to be very unhealthy here. But nothing is finer 

 than the Woods that cover the Borders of the Lake ; The white 

 and red Oaks rife up here even to the Clouds. There is alfo 

 here a Tree of the largeft Kind ; the Wood of which is hard, 

 but brittle, and much refembles that of the Plane-Tree : The 

 Leaf has five Points, is of a middle Size, a very fine Green on 

 the Infide, and whitifli without. It is called here the Cotton-T y-ee^ 

 becaufe in a Shell nearly of the Bignefs of a Horfe Chefnut, it 

 bears a Kind of Cotton ; which appears, neverthelefs, of no 



Ufe. ■ — As I walked upon the Side of the Lake, I obferved 



that it lofes Ground on this Side fenfibly : This is evident, 

 becaufe for the Space of half a League in Depth the Land is 

 much lower and more fandy than it is beyond, I have 

 obferved alfo in this Lake (and they afiure me the fame happens 

 in all the others) a Kind of Flux and Reflux almoft momentane- 

 ous ; fome Rocks which are pretty near the Shore being covered 

 and uncovered feveral Times within the Space of a Quarter of 

 an Hour, although the Surface of the Lake was very calm, and 

 there was fcarce any Wind. After having confidered this fome 

 Time, I imagined it might proceed from Springs which are at the 

 Bottom of the Lake, and from the Shocks of thofe Currents 

 with thofe of the Rivers, which flow in from all Parts, and which 

 produce thefe intermitting Motions. 



( a) The River of the AJfumptiony 2l League from the Point of the ^ra* 

 ^erfe ; that of Sables, three Leagues further j thaç of la Planche, (the Plank ) 

 two Leagues further j that of ia grande Famine, ( the great Famine ) two 

 Leagues more ; that of la petite Famine, (the little Famine) on^ I^^^guej that 

 QÏ la grofje Ecorce, ( the thick Bark) one League. 



9 



But 



