'Travels in North America. 



281 



The largeft is called Pifticouiy and comes from the fine Country 

 of the Mafcoutms, It has a Fall at its Mouth, which they call 

 la Charboniere (the Coal Fall) becaufe they find many Coals in 

 its Environs. In this Route we fee only vaft Meadows, with little 

 Clufters of Trees here and there, which feem to have been planted 

 by the Hand ; the Grafs grows fo high in them, that one might 

 lofe one's felf amongft it ; but every where we meet with Paths 

 that are as beaten as they can be in the moft populous Coun- 

 tries ; yet nothing paiTes through them but Buffaloes, and from 

 Time to Time fome Herds ot Deer, and fome Roe-Bucks. 



A League below the Coal-Fall we fee on the Right a Rock 

 quite round, and very high, the Top of which is like a Ter- 

 rafs ; they call it the Fort of the Miamisy becaufe thefe Savages 

 had formerly a Village here. A League farther on the left, we 

 fee another juft lik^ it, which they call only Le Rocher (the Rock.) 

 It is the Point of a very high level Place, that runs for the Length 

 of two hundred Paces, always following the Side of the River, which 

 widens very much in this Place. It is perpendicular on every 

 Side, and at a DiPcance one would take it for a Fortrefs. Here 

 are ftill fome Remains of Palifadoes, becaufe the Illinois former- 

 ly made an Intrenchment here, which they can eafily repair in 

 Cafe of any Irruption of their Enemies. 



The Village is at the Foot of the Rock in an Ifland, which 

 with feveral others, all wonderfully fruitful, divide the River in 

 ihis Place into two pretty large Channels. I landed the 29th 

 about four in the Afternoon, and I found fome French here, who 

 were trading with the Savages. As foon almoil as I had fet my 

 Foot on Shore, I was vifited by the Chief of the Village. He 

 is a Man about forty, well lhaped, mild, of a very pleafing 

 Countenance, and the French faid many Things in his Praife. 



Then I went up the Rock by a tolerably eafy Way, but very 

 narrow. I found a very fmooth Terrafs, of a great Extent ; 

 and where all the Savages of Canada could not force two hun- 

 dred Men, who had Fire Arms, if they could have Water, which 

 they can get only from the River ; and to do this they muft 

 cxpofe tliemfelves. All the Recourfe of thofe who fliould hap- 

 pen to be befieged here, would be the natural Impatience of 

 thefe Barbarians. In fmall Parties they wiil wait without Un- 

 eafinefs eight or ten Days behind a Bulh, in Hopes that fome Bo- 

 dy will pafs by, w'hom they may kill or take Prifoner : But 

 when they are a numerous Body of Warriors, if they do not 

 prefently fucceed, they foon grow" weary, and take the fufi: Ex- 

 cufe to retreat. This they never want 5 for there needs only for 

 this Purpofe a Dream, real or feigned. 



The 



