travels in North America. 309 



I had heard very high Elogiums of this Officer, who was born 

 in Canada : His Father was a S^uifs, and a Major at Montreal, 

 At the Yafous they told me extraordinary Things of his Reli- 

 gion, his Piety, and his Zeal, of which he was the Vidim. 

 Every Body regretted him as their Father, and every one a- 

 grees, that this Colony in lofing him has had an irreparable 

 Lofs. 



He had chofen a bad Situation for his Fort, and he was 

 Of th ^ t f P^^P^i'i^^^> when he died, to remove it a 

 Ti Y ^'^^ League higher in a very fine Meadow, where 

 te a ous. ^.^^ more healthy, and where there is 



a Village of Tafousy mixed with Couroas and Ofogoulas, which 

 all together may have at moll two hundred Men fit to bear 

 Arms. We live pretty well with them, but do not put too 

 much Confidence in them^ on Account of the Conneélions 

 which the Yafous have always had with the Englijh, 



There are many Caimans in this River, and I faw tv/o, which 



7 ^ . were at kail from twelve to fifteen Feet long. 



KJJ tbej^azmans ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^.^j^^^ 



er Lrocoaiies, ^^^.^ ^^^^^ refembles the Bellowing 



pf Bulls, that it deceives one. Our French People neverthelefs 

 bathe in it as freely as they would in the Seine, As I declared my 

 Surprife at it, they replied, that there was no Caufe to fear; that 

 indeed when they were in the Water, they faw themfelves almoft 

 always furrounded with Caimans, bat they never came near 

 them, that they feemed only to watch to feize upon them at the 

 Moment of their coming out of the River ; and that then to 

 drive them away, they flirred the Water v/ith a Stick, which 

 they always had the Precaution to carry with them, and that this 

 made thefe Animals run away far enough to give them Time 

 to get out of Danger. 



The Company has in this Pofi: a Magazine of Expe6lation, 

 A Grant badl Akanfas ; but the Fort and the Land 



an ay j^^j^j^g^ to a Society compofed oï M, le Blanc^ 

 Jttuatecl. ^ Secretary of State, of M. le Comte de Belk'- 



IJle, of M. le Marquis d^Jsfeld, and M. le Blond, Brigadier En- 

 gineer. The laft is in the Colony with the Title of Diredlor 

 General of the Company. I can fee no Reafon why they chofe 

 the River of the Yafous for the Place of their Grant. There 

 was certainly Choice of better Lands, and a better Situation. It 

 is true, that it is of Importance to fecure this River, the Source 

 of which is not far from Carolina ; but a Fort with a good Gar- 

 rifon to keep under the Yafous, who are Allies to the Chicachas^ 

 would be fufiicient for that Purpofe. It is not the Way to fettle 

 a Colony on a folid Foundation, to be obliged always to be on 

 their Guard againft the Savages who are Neighbours of the Eng-- 

 Ufh. 



I de-^ 



