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what they are about, reduce, from fordid motives 

 of avarice, thofe fimple people to this condition, 

 can they be imagined to have any religion at all ? 

 We certainly know that an Indian will give all he is 

 worth for one glafs of brandy, this is ftrong temp- 

 tation to our dealers, againft which, neither the ex- 

 clamations of their paftors, nor the zeal and autho- 

 rity of the magiftrate, nor refpect for the laws, nor 

 the feverity of the divine ju (lice, nor the dread of 

 the judgments of the Almighty, nor the thoughts 

 of a Hell hereafter, of which thefe barbarians ex- 

 hibit a very finking picture, have been able to avail. 

 But it is time to turn away our eyes from fo dif- 

 agreeable a fpeculation. 



The chief part of the peltry or fur-trade, after 4 

 the northern and weftern nations left off frequent- 

 ing the city of the Three Rivers, was for fome time 

 carried on at Montreal, whither the Indians reforted 

 at certain feafons from ^11 parts of Canada. This was 

 a kind of fair, which drew great numbers of French 

 to this city. The governor-general and intendant 

 came hither likewife, and made ufe of thofe occa- 

 fions to fettle any differences which might have hap- 

 pened amongft our allies. But fhould your Grace 

 happen by chance to light on laHontan's book, where 

 he treats of this fair, I muft caution you to be on 

 your guard left you take every thing he fays of it 

 for matter of fait. He has even forgot to give it 

 fo much as an air of probability. The women of 

 Montreal never gave any ground for what this au- 

 thor lays to their charge, and there is no reafon to 

 fear for their honour with refpecl: to the Indians. It 

 is without example that any of them have ever ta- 

 ken the leaft liberty with any French woman, even 

 when they have been their prifoners. They have 

 never been fubject to the leaft temptation by them, 



