ti2 An Hijlorical Journal of 



the fame "Reafon, muft difcharge its Waters into Lake Huron y 

 and the rather, becaufe both the Bay and Lake Michigan re* 

 ceive feveral Rivers ; Lake Michigan efpecially, which receives 

 a great Number, fome of which are little inferior to the Seine ; 

 thefe great Currents are not perceivable but in the midft of the 

 Channel, and produce Eddies or counter Currents, of which we 

 take Advantage when we go along Shore, as they are obliged to 

 do who go in Canoes of Bark, 



Ï went at firft five Leagues to the Weft, to get into Lake Mi^ 

 chigany I then turned to the South, and this is the only Route we 

 have to take for a hundred Leagues to the River St, Jofeph. No- 

 thing is finer than the Country which feparates the Lakes Michigan 

 and Huron : Yefterday I went three Leagues further, and a high 

 Wind obliged me to ftop at this Ifland. I ftiall fhun the Irk* 

 fomenefs of waiting here, by employing myfelf in finifhiag 

 my Account of the natural Inhabitants of this vaft Country, 

 â great Part of which I have already travelled over. 



The Savages of Canada are generally well made, and of a 



Portrait of the ^^^^X ^^^^^^^ y unufual in fome 



0 rai J Nations to fee fome of only a middle Stature; 

 ^ ^' but it is very uncommon to fee any that are 



deformed, or that have any outward Blemifh. They are ro- 

 buft, and of a healthy Conftitutiqn : They would be very long 

 lived, if they fpared themfelves a little more ; but the greateS 

 Part ruin their Conftitutions by forced Marches, by defperate 

 Fallings, and by great Exceffes in eating : Befides that, during 

 their Childhood, they have often their naked Feet in the Water, 

 on the Snow and Ice. The Brandy which the Europeans have 

 fupplied them with, and for which they have fuch a ftrong In- 

 clination that exceeds all that can be faid of it, and which they 

 always drink till they are drunk, has compleated their Ruin, 

 and has not a little contributed to the Deftrudlion of all thefe 

 Nations, which are at prefent reduced to lefs than the twentieth 

 Part of what they were a hundred and fifty Years ago* If this 

 continues they will become entirely extindt. 



Their Bodies are not confined in their Infancy like our's, and 

 rr-/ . nothino- is more proper to make their Joints 



<rheir^ Strength. ^ ^^^^^ give them that Supplenefsin all 



their Limbs, which we fo much admire in them, than this Li- 

 berty, and the Exercifes to which the Children there are ac- 

 cuftomed very early. The Mothers fuckle them a long Time, 

 and there are fome that at fix or feven years old ftill take the? 

 Breaft. Neverthelefs^ this does not hinder them from taking 

 all Kinds of Food the firft Year : In Ihort, the open Air t» 

 which they are ^xpofed> the Fatigues they make tnem fuifer, 

 but by little ;and little^ and in a Manner proportioned to their 



Age. 



