T ravels in North America. 



201 



They never call a Man by his proper Name, when they talk 



7> r . to him in common Difcourfe, this would be 



Remarks on their ^11 • i • ^1 r\ v-. 



Names unpolite ; they always give nim the Quality 



he has with Refped to the Perfon that fpeaks 

 to him ; but when there is between them no Relation or Affini- 

 ty, they ufe the Term of Brother, Uncle, Nephew, or Coulin, 

 according to each other's Age, or according to the Value they 

 have for the Perfon they addrefs. 



Further, it is not fo much to render Names immortal, if I 

 may ufe the ExprefTion, that they revive them, as to engage 

 thofe to whom they are given either to imitate the brave Ac- 

 tions of their Predecelfors, or to revenge them if they have been 

 killed or burnt, or laftly to comfort and help their Families. 

 Thus a Woman who has loll her Hulband, or her Son, and finds 

 herfelf without the Support of any Perfon, delays as little as 

 fhe can to transfer the Name of him fhe mourns for to fome 

 Perfon capable of fupplying his Place. They change their 

 Names on many other Occafions, to give the Particulars of 

 which would take up too much Time : There needs no more 

 for this Purpofe than a Dream, or the Order of a Phyûcian, 

 or fome fuch trifling Caufe. But I have faid enough on this 

 Head, and here is a Traveller waiting to know if I have any 

 Commiiuon for him to Quebec. I fhali therefore clofe my Letter 

 and give it him. 



/ am, êcc. 



LETTER XIX. 



Voyage to the Bay, Defcription of the Route ^ mid cf the Bay. 

 Irruption of the Spaniards againft the Mi s s o u r i s , a7id their 

 Defeat, The Dances of the S ay ages. 



Madam, ' Michillimakinac, July ti, 



SINCE v/riting my lail Letter, I have made a Voyage 

 to the Bay eighty Leagues diflant from this Poll. I took 

 Advantage of the Opportunity of going with M* de Mon" 

 tigny, Captain of a Company of the Troops which the King 

 maintains in Canada^ Knt. of St. Louis^ and whofe Name is fa- 

 mous in the Annals of this Colony ; but he is at leaii: as valu- 

 able for his Probity and his Charadler full of Equity and Sin- 

 cerity, as for his Courage and warlike Exploits. " 



:D d ' We 



