306 An Hijîorical Journal of 



Illands well wooded, fome of which are pretty large, form very 

 agreeable Canals, where the largeft Ships may pafs : For they 

 fay, that at above a hundred and fifty Leagues from the Sea, they 

 fmd in this River even to fixty Fathom Water. 



As to what concerns the Forefts, which cover almoft all this 

 'T'^he Fo'^'cHs of S^^^^ Country, there are perhaps none in the 

 Louifiana' World that are comparable to them, if we 



confider either the Bignefs and Height of 

 the Trees, or the Variety, and the Ufes that may be made of 

 them ; for excepting Woods for dying, which require a warmer 

 Sun, and which are found only between the Tropicks, we can- 

 not fay that there is any Kind of Wood wanting here. There 

 are Woods of Cyprefs that extend eight or ten Leagues. All the 

 Cyprefs Trees here are of a Bignefs proportionable to their Height, 

 which exceeds that of the highell Trees in France, We begin to 

 be acquainted in Europe with that Species of Ever-Green 

 Laurel, which we call the I'ulip Tree, from the Shape of its 

 Flowers. It grows higher than our Horfe>Chefnut Trees, and 

 has a finer Leaf. The Copalme is ftill bigger and higher, and 

 there diftills from it a Balfam, which perhaps is not much in- 

 ferior to that of Peru, All the known Species of Walnuts are 

 here very numerous, and alfo all the Woods that are fit for 

 Building, and the Carpenters Ufe, that can be ddired : But in 

 ufing them. Care muft be taken not to fix upon thofe which grow 

 on the Side of the River, nor where the Inundation of the River 

 reaches, becaufe having their Roots continually in the Water, 

 they will be too heavy, and will foon rot. 



At length, I arrived Yefterday, December the 2d, at the fîrll 

 Village of the Akanfas, or Akaufeasy about ten in the Morning. 

 This Village is built in a little Meadow, on the Weft Side of 

 the MiJJtJJîppi, There are three others in the Space of eight 

 Leagues, and each makes a Nation, or particular Tribe : There 

 is alfo one of the four which unites two Tribes ; but they are 

 all comprifed under the Name of Akanfas, They call the Sa- 

 vages which inhabit the Village from whence I write, Ouyapss, 

 TheY/eftern Company have a Magazine here which expeâ:s 

 fome Merchandizes, and a Clerk, who fares but poorly in the 

 mean Time, and who is heartily weary of living here. 



The River of the Akanfas, which they fay comes a great Way, 

 Def ittion fth ^^^^ ^^^^ MiJfîJJtppi by two Channels, four 

 RiJerl%hTAkdn^ Leagues diftant from each other. The firil 

 {as^^^ ^ * eight Leagues from hence. This River 

 comes, as they fay, from the Country of cer- 

 tain Savages, whom they call the Black Panis, and I think they 

 are the fame which are more commonly known by the Name of 

 Fanh Ricaras. I have with me a Slave of this Nation. One 



