Travels in North America^ 331 



very brave. Their Cabins are in the Shape of a Pavilion, like 

 thoie of the Sioux, and they feldom make any Fire in them. 

 They have a double Roof 5 that \ji the Inlide is made of the 

 Leaves of the Lattanier^ interwoveh together, that in the Out- 

 lideis made of Mats. 



The Cabin of the Chief is thirty-fix Feet Diameter : I had 

 not before feen one fo large ; for that of the Great Chief of 

 the Natchez is but thirty Feet. As foon as we appeared in Sight 

 of this Village, they beat a Drum ; and we were fcarcely 

 landed, before the Chief fent his Compliments to me. I was 

 furprifed, in advancing towards the Village, to fee the Drummer 

 drejfîed in a long Gown, half white and half red, with white 

 Sleeves on the red Side, and red Sleeves on the white. I en- 

 quired into the Origin of this Cuftom, and they told me it was 

 not antient ; that a Governor of Louijiana had made a Prefent 

 of a Drum to thefe Savages, who have always been our faithful 

 Allies, and that this Kind of Beadle's Habit was their own In- 

 vention. The Women are better fhaped here than in Ca* 



nada, and their Way of dreffing themfeives is alfo fomething more 

 becoming. 



After Dinner, we went five Leagues further, and we flopped 

 <ru r r 2^1 Cannes bruUes, (the burnt Reeds )^ where the 



M le Comte ^^'""^^ D'Artagnan has an Ha- 



pu,* bitation on it, which is alfo to ferve him for a 



jj /irtagnan, Store-Houfe, if it has not the Fate of almbfl 

 all the reft. This Houie is on the Left ; and the firll Objed 

 that prefented itfelf to my Sight, was a great Crofs fet up on the 

 Bank of the River, about which they adually fmg Vefpers. 

 This is the firfl Place of the Colony, from the Illinois, where I 

 found this Mark of our Religion. Two Moufquetaires, M. 



Artiguiere, and de Benac (a), are the Directors of this Grant ; 

 and it was M. de Benac who had the Diredion of the Houfe of 

 Cannes brulees, together with M. Chevalier, Nephew to the Mafter 

 of the Mathematics to the King's Pages. They have no Prieil, 

 but it is not their Fault : They had one whom they were 

 obliged to get rid of, becaufe he was a Drunkard ; and they 

 judged rightly, that a bad Prieft is likely to do more Harm in a 

 new Settlement, where he has no Superior that watches over hi^ 

 Condudt, than his Services are worth. 



Between the Colapiffas and the Cannes brûlées, we leave on the 

 T) r 'tt^ f Right Hand the Spot which was formerly 

 the T^^I\{1T pofTefTed by the Taen/as ; who, in the Time 

 ^ ^ * of M. de la Sale, made a great Figure in this 



(a) The lafl is now Captain in th^ Trcvops of Loui/mna» 



U U 2 



Country, 



