travels in North America. 327 



The 28th, after having gone two Leagues, we arrived at the 

 n r ' ' r River of the Tonkas, which appeared to me 

 Uejcrtption of ^ ^^^^^ . ^ Muficet- 



tbe f^tUage oj- the gj^^^ Diftance from its Mouth, it forms a 

 lonicas. ^^j.^ pretty Lake. If the MiJJiffippi conti- 



nues to throw itfelf as it does on the other Side, all this Place 

 will become inacceflible. The River of the Tonkas has its 

 Source in the Country of the TchaBas, and its Courfe is very 

 much obflrufted with Falls. The Village is beyond the Lake, 

 on a pretty high Ground ; yet they fay that the Air here is bad, 

 which they attribute to the Quality of the Waters of the River ; 

 but I fhould rather judge that it proceeds from the Stagnation of 

 the Waters in the Lake*-— This Village is built in a Circle, 

 round a very large open Space, without any Inclofure, and mo- 

 derately peopled. 



The Cabin of the Chief is very much adorned on the Outiidc 

 Of h CK f f ^'^^ Cabin of a Savage. We fee on it 

 , J ^"f ^ fome Figures in Relievo, which are not fo ill 

 ihe lonicas. done as one expefts to find them. The Tn- 



iide is dark, and I obferved nothing in it but fome Boxes^ which 

 they afTured me v/ere full of C'lothes and Money. The Chief 

 received us very politely ; he was drelTed in the French Fafhion, 

 and feemed to be not at all uneafy in that Habit. Of all the 

 Savages of Canada^ there is none fo much depended on by our 

 Commandants as this Chief. He loves our Nation, and has no 

 Caufe to repent of the Services he has rendered it. He trades 

 with the French, whom he fupplies with Horfes and Fowls, and 

 he underftands his Trade very well. He has learnt of us to 

 hoard up Money, and he is reckoned very rich. He has along 

 Time left off the Drefs of a Savage, and he takes a Pride ia 

 appearing always well dreffed, according to our Mode. 



The other Cabins of the Village are partly fquare, as that 

 cTL , r the Chief, and partly round, like thofe of 

 ihe :^taie of ^^^^ Natchez. The Place round which they 

 ms isiatton. ^ all Hand, is about a hundred Paces Diameter; 

 and notwithflanding the Heat of the Weather was that Day fuf- 

 focating, the young People were diverting themfelves at a Kind 

 of Truck, much like our's. 



There are two other Villages of this Nation at a little 

 Diftance from this ; and this is all that remains of a People for- 

 ' nierly very numerous.— I faid before, that they had a Miflionary 

 whom "they greatly loved : I have learnt that they drove 

 him away not long fmce, becaufe he had burnt their Temple ; 

 which neverthelefs they have not rebuilt, nor lighted their Fire 

 again ; a certain Proof of their little Attachment to their 

 falfe Religion Î They eveii foon recalled the Miffionary ; but 



they 



