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The bark of which they are built, as well as th& 

 timbers, are fewed with the roots of fir-trees, which 

 are more pliant, and lefs apt to dry than the ofier. 

 All the feams are gummed within fide and without, 

 but they mnft be examined every day, to fee whe- 

 ther the gum has fcaled off. The larger!: canoes 

 carry twelve men, two and two, and four thoufand 

 weight, or two tons. Of all the Indians, the molt 

 expert builders are the Outawais, and in general 

 the Algonquin nations excel the Huron Indians' iri 

 this trade. There are few French who can make a 

 canoe even fo much as tolerably well, but in con- 

 ducting them, they are at leaft full as fure to truft 

 to as the natives, as they exercife themfelves at it 

 from their infancy. All thefe canoes, the {mailed 

 not excepted, carry fail, and with a favourable wind, 

 make twenty leagues a-day. Without fails you 

 muft have able canoe-men, to make twelve in ftill 

 water. 



From Coteau de Lac, to lake St. Francis, you 

 have only a large half league. This lake which I 

 croITed on the 5th, is feven leagues long, and at 

 moil three in breadth where broaden:. The lands 

 on both fides of it are low, but feem indifferent 

 good. The rout from Montreal thither lies fome- 

 what fouth-weft, and lake St. Francis lies weft- 

 fouth weft and eaft-fouth eaft. I encamped imme- 

 diately above it, and in the night was awakened 

 with piercing cries, as of people making lamenta- 

 tions. I was frightened at firft, but they ibon made 

 me eafy, by telling me that it was a kind of cormo- 

 rants called liuarts fronl their howling. They alfo 

 told me thefe howlings were a fign of wind the next 

 day, and it actually was fo, 



T 4 CjH 



