228 An Hijlorîcal Journal oj 



that he judges more nimble and dexterous than himfelf ; for to' 

 win the Game, the Ball mull never have been in the Hands of 

 the adverfe Party before it comes to the Bound. The Women 

 alfo play at this Game, but it is but feldom : Their Bands confift 

 of four or five, and the firft that lets the Ball fall, lofes the 

 Game. 



The Pouteouatamis have here a Chief, and an Orator, who 

 Of the Chief Perfons of Merit. The firft, named 



and the Orator of f™' is a Man^upwards of f^y, very fo^ ^ 

 the Pouteouata- ^.^^ P^^^^"^ J^? Second, named Ou^/a^ 

 j^-g is younger : He is a Chrzjiian, and well 



iiiftruûed, but he makes no Exercife of his 

 Religion. One Day as I was making him fome Reproaches on 

 this Account,' he left me fuddenly, went into the Chapel, and 

 faid his Prayers aloud, fo that we heard him at the Miffionary's 

 Lodging. It is difiicult to find a Man that fpeaks better, and 

 who has more Senfe. On the other Hand, he is of a very amiable 

 Character, and fincerely attached to the French, Piremon is not 

 inferior in any Refpedl, and I have heard them both in a Coun- 

 cil at the Commandant's, where they fpoke with a great deal of 

 Eloquence. 



Many Savages of the two Nations which are fettled on this 

 The fad Confe ^^^^^^ j"^ returned from the Englijh Co- 

 uences of Drunk -^^^^^^j whither they went to fell their Peltry, 

 quences of run - from whence they have brought back a 



^^^"^^ great deal of Brandy. It has been divided 



according to Cuftom ; that is to fay^ every Day they diftribute to 

 a certain Number of Perfons as much as is neceflary for each to 

 get drunk, and the whole was drank in eight Days. They 

 began to drink in the two Villages as foon as the Sun was fet,^ 

 and every Night the Country refounded with frightful Cries and 

 Howlings. One would have faid that a Flight of Devils had 

 efcaped from Heîî, or that the two Villages were cutting one 

 pother's Throats. Two Men were lamed : I met one of them 

 #ho broke his Arm with a Fall, and I faid to him, that certainly 

 another Time he would be wifer : He replied, that this Accident 

 was nothing, that he Ihould foon be cured, and that he would 

 begin to drink again as foon as he had got a frelh Stock of 

 Brandy. 



Judge, Madam, what a Miffionary can do in the midftof fuch 

 a Diforder, and how greatly it muft aifefl an honeft Man, who 

 has quitted his own Country to gain Souls to God, to be obliged 

 to be a Witnefs of it, without having it in his Power to remedy 

 it. Thefe Barbarians are fenfible that Drunkennefs ruins and 

 dellroys them ; but when one ftrives to |)erfuade them that they 

 fhould be the firft to alk that we ftould hinder them of a Liquor 



that 



