( "6 ) 



fed all the pumps to be fet a going but to no pur- 

 pofe. The water continued to encreafe inftead of di* 

 miniming ; at laft, every one thought upon laving 

 his life, and it was time, for the laft of them had 

 hardly got a more when the veffel funk and entirely 

 difappeared. A bark loaded with merchant goods 

 for Montreal, had the fame fate at the entrance into 

 lake St. Peter, but they are in hopes of getting 

 them both up, as foon as the good weather comes 

 in. Some even flatter themfelves with being able 

 to recover the greater! part of the effects with which 

 thefe two veffels are loaded ; others believe they will 

 not, and I am of the fame opinion; however, I 

 lhall not be here to give you an account of it. In 

 the mean time, this affair of the Proven^all veffel 

 may be attended with fome confequences, for the 

 captain fulpects that fomebody or other has played 

 him a trick. But to return to our pilgrimage. 



About three leagues from this place, towards the 

 North-eaft, is a fmall village of the Indians, called 

 Hurons, who are chriftians, and who have a cha- 

 pel built on the lame model, and with the fame di- 

 menfions as the Santa Cafa of Italy, from whence 

 an Image of the virgin, a copy of that which is in 

 this famous fanctuary, has been fent to our Neo- 

 phytes. A wilder place than this could not have 

 been chofen for the lituation of this miffion. In 

 the mean time, the concourfe of the faithful to this 

 place is very great ; and whether it be the effect of 

 imagination, devotion, prejudice, or of any other 

 caule, many perfons have affured me, that upon 

 their arrival they have been feized with an inward 

 and facred horror, of which they can give no ac- 

 count. But the folid piety of the inhabitants of 

 this defert, makes an impreflion- upon all, which 



