Travels in North Âmerîcal 147 



mtvtr ccafed to look upon him as one of their Children ; that 

 he might live in any Place, and that he might chufe the Place 

 that he judged moft convenient. He required no more : He 

 came direélly here, fixed upon a Spot by the Side of the River 

 that terminates the Canton of the Tfonnonthouansy and built a Ca^ 

 bin upon it. The .News was foon carried to Ne^ Torky and 

 caufed there fo much the more Jealoufy, as the EngUjk had never 

 been able to obtain in any of the Iroquois Cantons what was now 

 granted to the Sieur Joncaire, 



They complained in a haughty Manner, and their Complaints 

 The En^liih ot ^^^^ fupported by Prefents, which brought 

 tofe this Settlement other four Cantons into their Intereil : 



'without EifeB^^^ "^^^ fignified nothing, becaufe the Iro^ 

 ' quois Cantons are independent of each other, 

 and very jealous of this Independence : It was therefore ne- 

 cefTary to gain the T/onnonthouans, and the Englijh left no Means 

 untried for this Purpofe ; but they foon perceived that they 

 Should never fucceed in diflodging M. de Joncaire from Niagara. 

 Then they reduced their Terms to this Requeit, that at leaft they 

 might be permitted to have a Cabin in the fame Place. Our 

 Land is in Peace, (faid the Tfonnonthouans to them) the French 

 and you cannot live together without diilurbing it : Fur* 

 thermore, (added they) it is of no Confequence that M. de Jon- 

 caire dwells here \ he is a Child of the Nation ; he enjoys 

 " his Right, and we have no Right to deprive him of it." 

 We mull allow. Madam, that there is fcarce any Thing but a 



T^ /. . . n Zeal for the public Good that can eno-are 

 Defcrzptzon of ^^^^^ f^^^ ^ ^.j^^^ ^^^^^ 



ih^ Country of ^1^ is impoffible to fee one more favage and 

 frightful. On one Side we fee under our 

 Feet, and as it were in the Bottom of an Abyfs, a great River 

 indeed ; but which, in this Place, refembles more a Torrent by 

 its Rapidity, and by the Whirlpools which a thoufand Rocks 

 make in it, througK which it has much Difficulty to find a Paf- 

 fage, and by the Foam with which it is always covered. On 

 the other Side, the View is covered by three Mountains fet one 

 upon another, the laft of which lofes itfelf in the Clouds ; and 

 the Poets might well have faid, that it was in this Place the Ti- 

 would have fcaled Heaven. In fhort, which Way foe ver 

 you turn your Eyes, you do not difcover any Thing bat what in- 

 spires a fecret Horror. 



It is true that we need not go far to fee a great Change. 

 Behind thefe wild and uninhabitable Mountains we fee a rich 

 Soil, magnificent Forefls, pleafant and fruitful Hills : Wc 

 breathe a pure Air, and enjoy a temperate Clim-^te, between two 



U z Lakes, 



) 



