( 291 5 



LETTER XII. 



Voyage to Catarocoui. Defer iptlon of the coun- 

 try ^ and of the Rapides or falls in the river 

 St. Lawrence. Dejcription and fituation of 

 the Fort. CharaBer and genius of the langua- 

 ges and nations of Canada. Origin of the 

 mar between the Iroquois and Algonkins. 



Catarocoui^ May 14, 1721. 



Madam 9 



I Set out from the Fall of St. Lewis on the ifl of 

 May, after clofing my laft epiftle, and lay at 

 the weftern extremity of the ifland of Montreal, 

 where I did not however arrive till midnight. On 

 the morrow I employed the whole morning in vifit- 

 ing this country, which is exceeding fine In the 

 afternoon I crofled Lake St. Lewis, to go to the 

 place called let Cafcades^ where I found fuch of my 

 people ? as had gone directly thither, employed in 

 fewing their canoe, which they had let fall, as they 

 were carrying it on their moulders, and which was 

 thus fplit from one end to the other. This, Ma- 

 dam, is the pleafure, and at the fame time the in- 

 ^convenience of travelling in fuch fmall vehicles, the 



T 2 lead 



