3" ravels in North America. 245 



to call to our Afliftance ; for there is fcarce any other Remedy 

 againft the Stings of thefe little Infeéls, which fet all Parts of 

 the Body in a Flame, and do not fufFer you to fleep in Quiet. 

 Add to this, the frequent forced Marches, and always very 

 fatiguing ones, which one muft make to follow thefe Barbarians 5 

 fometimes in Water up to the WaiH, ancifometimes in Mud up to 

 the Knees ; in the Woods, thro' Brambles and Thorns, in Dan- 

 ger of being blinded ; in the open Country, where there is no 

 Shelter from the Heat of the Sun, which is as violent in Summer 

 as the "Wind is piercing in Winter. 



If one travels in Canoes, the confined Poilure which one 

 mull: keep, and the Apprehenfions we are under at firfl: from 

 the extreme Weaknefs of thefe Vehicles, the Inadlion which 

 can't be avoided, theJlow Progrefs they make, which is retarded 

 by the leaft Rain, or a little too much Wind, the little Society 

 one can have with People who know nothing, and who never fpeak 

 when they are about any Thing, who offend you with their ilî 

 Smell, and who fill you with Filth and Vermin; the Caprices and 

 rough Behaviour which muft be borne with from thefe People ; 

 the Affronts to which one is expofed from a Drunkard, or a 

 Man who is put out of Humour by an unforefeen Accident, a 

 Dream, or the Remembrance of fome Misfortune ; the Covet- 

 ing, which is eafily produced in the Hearts of thefe Barbarians, 

 at the Sight of an Objed capable of tempting them, and which 

 has coll the Lives of feveral Miffionarles ; and if War is de- 

 clared between the Nations where they happen to be, the conti- 

 nual Danger they run, of being fuddenly reduced either to the 

 hardell Servitude, or to perifh in the mod horrible Torments : 

 This is, Madam, the Life which the MilTionaries (cfpecially the 

 firll) have led. If for fome Time pad it has been lefs fevere in 

 fome Refpedls, it has had for the Labourers of the Gofpel other 

 inward Troubles, and of Confequence more grievous ; which, 

 Ï2LÏ from being lefTened by Time, encreafe in the fame Meafurc 

 as the Colony encreafes, and as the natural Inhabitants of the 

 Country have more Communication with all Sorts of People. 

 In Ihort, to make a brief Portrait of thefe People : With a fa- 

 A Ih rt For ^^Z^ Appearance, and Manners and Cuftoms 

 trait of the Sa ^^^^^^ entirely barbarous, there is ob- 

 - " fervablq amongfl them a focial Kindnefs, 

 free from almoft all the Imperfedions 

 which fo often difturb the Peace of Society among us. Thej 

 appear to be without PafTion ; but they do that in cold Blood, 

 and fometimes through Principle, which the moft violent and 

 imbridied Paiîion produces in thofe who give no Ear to Reafon. 

 They feem to lead the moil wretched Life in the World ; and 

 they were perhaps the only happy People on Earth, before the 



Knowledge 



