1 2 8 Some ISlew Voyages 



of the Eflapapes. W£ had much, more pleafure in 

 failing down the River, than we had in going up ; 

 for we had the agreeable diverfion of feeing feveral 

 Huntfmen {hooting the Water-Fowl, that are plen- 

 tiful upon that Riven You rauft know, that the 

 Stream of the Long River is all along very flack and 

 eafie, abating for about three Leagues between the 

 fourteenth and fifteenth Village ; for there indeed its 

 Current may be calFd rapid. The Channel is fo 

 ftraight, that it fcarce winds at all from the Head to 

 the Lake. Tis true 'tis not very pleafant ; for moft 

 of its Banks have a difmal Profpedt, and the Water 

 it felf has an ugly Tafte: but then its Ufefulnefs at- 

 tones for fuch Inconveniencies ; for, 'tis navigable 

 with the greateft eafe, and will bear Barques of fifty 

 Tun, till you come to that place which is mark'd 

 with a Flower-de-luce in the Map, and where I put 

 up the Poft that my Soldiers chriften'd la Hontaus Li- 

 mit. March 2. I arriv'd in the Mijfifip^ which was 

 then much deeper and more rapid than before, by 

 reafon of the Rains and Land-floods. To fave the 

 Labour of Rowing, we then left our Boats to the 

 Current, and arrr/d on the ioth in the Ifland of 

 Rencontres, which took its Name from the Defeat 

 of 400 Iroqmfe, accomplifh'd there by 500 Narkmjfis. 

 The Story of the Encounter is briefly this: A Party 

 of 400 Ircquefs having a mind to furprife a certain 

 People in the Neighbourhood of the Otcntas (of whom 

 more anon ) marclVd to the Country of the Illmefe, 

 where they built Canows, and were furnifli'd with 

 Provifions. After that they embark'd upon the Ri- 

 ver Mijfififi, and -were difcover'd by another little 

 Fleet that was failing down the other fide of the fame 

 River. The Irm^mje crofs'd over immediately to that 

 Ifland, which is fioce calfd Aim Rencontres. The 

 NaJouejlis, I e. the other little Fleet, being fufpici- 

 ous of forne ill Defign, without knowing what Peo* 

 pie they were, (for they had no knowledge of the 



