3o8 An Hijîorlcal Journal of 



all the Savages of this Continent, and they are called by Way 

 of Diftinftion the fine Men, It is thought, and perhaps for. this 

 Reafon, that they have the fame Origin as the Canfez of the 

 MzJ/huri, and the Pouteouatamis of Canada, But my Pettiaugre is 

 loaded, arid I have only Time to clofe my Letter, after having 

 alTured you, that 



/ amy Sec, 



LETTER XXIX, 



yourney firom the Ak an s as to the Natchez. De/cription of the 

 Country : Of the. Ri'ver of the Y a sov s : Of the Manners, Cuf 

 tomsy and Religion of ^i^^ Natchez. 



Madam, At the Natchez, Bee, 25. 



I Departed the 3d of December fome thing late from the Village 

 of the Ouyapes ; neverthelefs I went to encamp a little be- 

 low the firft Mouth of the River of the Akanfasy which appear- 

 ed to me to be at moft but five hundred Paces wide. The next 

 Day I pafled by the fécond, which is very narrov/, and the 5th 

 we pufhed on to La Point coupée (the Point cut off). This was a 

 pretty high Point, which advanced into the River on the Weft 

 Side : The River has cut it off, and made it an Ifland, but the 

 new Channel is not yet palTable, but in the Time of the Floods, 

 They reckon from this Place to the principal Branch of the River 

 of the Akanfas twenty-two Leagues, but it is not perhaps ten 

 in aftrait Line, for the River winds much in the feventy Leagues 

 we make to go from the Village of the Ouyapes to the Priver of 

 the Tafous or Tachoux, v/hich I e'ntered the 9'th in the Afternoon. 

 It has not fnowed here, as in the Country of the Illincisy and 

 at the River Ouyhache^ but there , has fallen a hoar Froft, which 

 *has broke all the tender Trees, with which the low Points and 

 the wet Lands are covered ; one would think that fome one had 

 broken all their Branches with a Stick. 



The Entrance of the Pviver of the Tafous is North Weil, and 

 y, . 7 South Weft, and is about a hundred Perches 



^i^ver oj tpe . Waters are reddifti, and they fay, 



^ . they giv:e the Bloody-Flux to thofe who drink 



them : And befides this, the Air is very unwholfome. I was 

 obliged to go up it 3 Leag^ues to get to the Fort, which I found 

 all in Mourning for the Death of M. Bizart, who commanded 

 kereo Every where that I met with any Frenchmen in Louifanay 

 ' I had 



