334 Hijîorical Journal of 



from hence, one of which alone would have filled all the 

 Wood- Yard s of Paris, Nothing is capable of removing them, 

 the Mud which the River brings down ferves them for a Ce- 

 ment, and covers them by Degrees \ every Inundation leaves a 

 Bew Layer, and in ten Years at moft the Reeds and Shrubs be- 

 gin to grow upon them. Thus have been formed the greatell Part 

 of the Points and Iflands, which make the River fo often change 

 its Courfe. 



I have nothing to add to what I faid in the Beginning of the 

 Departure from ^^/^^^^ l^tXX^x concerning the prefent State of 

 New Orlean^ ^e^^ Orleans, The trueft Idea that you can 

 form of it, is to reprefent to yourfelf two 

 hundred Perfons that are fent to build a City, and v/ho are en- 

 camped on the Side of a great River, w4iere they have thought 

 of nothing but to Hielter themfelves from the Injuries of the 

 «Air, whilil they wait for a Plan, and have built themfelves 

 Houfes* M. de Pauger^ whom I have Hill the Honour to ac- 

 company, has juit now fhewed me one of his drawing. It is 

 very fine and very regular ; but it will not be fo eafy to exe- 

 cute it, as it was to trace it on Paper. We fet out the ità. of 

 y illy for Biloxiy which is the He ad- Quarters. Between Ne^-w Or^ 

 leans and the Sea there are no Grants ; they would have too lit- 

 tle Depth ; there are only fome fmall private Habitations, and 

 fome Magazines for the great Grants. 



Behind one of thefe Habitations, which is on the Right, 

 Of the Chaou in^^^^^^i^'^tely below the Englijb Reach, there 

 acha^ " ^^^^ "^^^ ^^"^ ^^"^^ ^ Village of the Chaou- 



achas, the Ruins of which I vifited. I found 

 nothing entire but the Cabin of the Chief, which was pretty 

 much like the Houfe of one of our Peafants in France, only 

 with this Difference, that it had no Windows. It was built of 

 Branches of Trees, the Vacancies between which were filled 

 ^p. with the Leaves of Lattankr ; the Roof was of the fame 

 Strudure. This Chief is very abfolute, as are all thofe of Flo- 

 rida ; he never hunts or Ihoots but for his Diverfion, for his 

 Subjeds are obliged to give him Part of their Game. His Vil- 

 lage is at prefent on the other Side of the River, half a League 

 lower, and the Savages have tranfported thither even to the 

 Bones of their Dead. 



A little below their new Habitation the Coaft is much higher 

 than any where hereabout, and it appears to me that they 

 Ihould have placed the City there. It would be but twenty 

 Xeagues from the Sea, and v^ith a South Wind, or a moderate 

 South Ealt, a Ship would get up in fifteen Hours. The Night 

 of the 23d we quitted the Boat which had brought us hither, 

 and embarked in a Brigantine, in which we fell down with the 



Stream 



