Travels in North America^ 203 



éearly the fame Language, as the Noquets and the Saulteurs^ 

 (LeapersJ ; but they add, that they have alfo a particular Lan*: 

 guage which they keep to themfelves. They have likewife told 

 ^e fome odd Stories of them, as of a Serpent which goes every 

 Year into the Village, and is received by them with great Cere- 

 monies, which makes me believe that they are inclined to Sor- 

 cery. 



A little beyond the Ifland I juft mentioned, the Country 

 Of the P otl c^^^g^s its Appearance all at once ; and 



taiiid Puans? ' f::T ^""2 T''* ^"r?^' ^t^^'^Z^^T^t 



Iftinkino-^ becomes the molt charming in the World» 



^ It has even fomething morefmiling than the 



Strait ; but though it is every where covered with very fine 

 Trees, it is much more' fandy, and not fo fertile. The Otcha- 

 gras, who are commonly called the Puans, dwelt formerly on the 

 Borders of the Bay, in a very delightful Situation. They were 

 attacked here by the Illinoisy who killed a great Number of 

 them : The Remainder took Refuge in the River of the Outa-- 

 garnis, which runs into the Bottom of the Bay. They feated 

 themfelves on the Borders of a Kind of Lake; and I judge it 

 was there, that living on Fifli which they got in the Lake in 

 great Plenty, they gave them the Name of Puons ; becaufe all 

 along the Shore where their Cabins were built, one faw nothing 

 but ftinking Fifh, which infeded the Air. It appears at leaft 

 that this is the Origin of the Name which the other Savages had 

 given them before us, and which has communicated itfelf to the 

 Bay, far from which they never removed. Some Time after 

 they had quitted their an tient Poft, they endeavoured to revenge 

 the Blow they had received from the Illinois ; but this Enterprize 

 caufed them a new Lofs, which they never recovered. Six hun- 

 dred of their bell Men were embarked to go in Search of the 

 Enemy ; but as they were croffing Lake Michigan, they were fur^ 

 prifed by a violent Guft of Wind, which drowned them all. 

 We have in the Bay a Fort which Hands on the Weil Side of 

 Ofthe Fort, and ^v^^l ^iû^^Outagam^^ half a League 



the Miffton f Mouth 5 and before v/e arrive at it, 



theBa ^ leave on the Left Hand a Village of 



, ^akis. The Otchagras have lately come and 



feasted themfelves near us^ and have built their Cabins about .the 

 Fort. The Miffionary, who is lodged pretty near the Com- 

 mandant, hopes, when he has learnt their Language, to find 

 them more docible than the Sakis, among whom he labours with 

 very little Succefs. Both of them appear to be a good Sort of 

 People, efpecially the firft ; v/hofe greatefl Fault is, that they are 

 a little given to thieving. Their Language is very different 

 from all the others, which makes me believe that it is not derived 



J) à z from 



