gîô An Hifiorical journal of 



î departed from the Tafous the loth ; and the i3th, had it 

 Gulf and ^ar^ not been for a Savage, w^^ 



^ Ills railage or me to return home, I had 

 ^* been loft in a Gulf, which none of my Con- 



du6lors knew, and which one does not difcover till one is fo 

 far engaged in it, that it is impolTible to get out. It is on the 

 Left Hand, at the Foot of a great Cape, where they affirm 

 there is a Quarry of very good Stone : This is what they are 

 nioft afraid of v/anting in this Colony ; but in Recompence, 

 they may make as many Brick as they pleafe. 



The 15th we arrived at the Natchez, This Canton, the fineft^ 

 Defcrittion of "^^^ fertile, and the moft populous of 



the Countr of the Louifmna^ is forty Leagues diiîant fron]^ 

 Natchez'^ ^^fi^^-> ^^^^ Hand. The^ 



Landing. Place is over-againil: a pretty high 

 Hill, and very fleep ; at the Foot of v^^hich runs a little Brook^ 

 that can receive only Boats and Fettiaugres. From this iiril Hill 

 v/e afcend a fécond fmaller one, and not fo fleep, at the Top 

 of which they have built a Kind of Redoubt, inclofed with a 

 fingle Palifade, They have given this Intrenchment the Name 

 of a Fort. 



Several little Hills rife above th}s Hill, and when we have 

 paffed them, we fee on every Side great Meadows, divided by 

 little Clumps of Trees, which have a very fine ElFed:. The 

 Trees moft common in thefe Woods are the Walnut and the 

 Oak ; and all about the Lands are excellent. The late M. 

 dUber^uilky who was the firft that entered the MiJpJJtppi by its 

 Mouth, being come as high as the Natchez^ found this Country 

 fo charming, and fo advantageoully fituated^ that he thought he 

 could find no better Situation for the Metropolis of the new Co- 

 lony. He traced out the Plan of it, and intended to call it Ro- 

 faite, which was the Name of Madam, the Chancellor's Lady of 

 Pont char train. But this Projed is not likely to be foon exe- 

 cuted, though our Geographers have always roundly fet down 

 in their Maps, the Town of Rofalie at the Natchez. 



It is certain that we muft begin by a Settlement nearer the 

 Sea : But if Louifana ever becomes a flourilhing Colony, as 

 may very well happen^ I am of Opinion that they cannot find a 

 better Situatien for the Capital than in this Place. It is not 

 fubjeél to the Inundation of the River, the Air is pure, and 

 the Country very extenfive, the Soil is fit for every Things 

 and well watered, it is not too far from the Sea, and nothing 

 hinders Ships from coming hither. Laftly, it is near all the 

 Places where, according as appears, there is any Defign to make 

 Settlements. The Company have a Ware-houfe, and keep a 

 Clerk here^ who has not as yet much Employment. 



Among 



