( io ) 



to the Interpreters to explain in French what he 

 had been faying in his own language. 



His mien, the tone of his voice, and the man- 

 ner of his delivery, though without any gestures 

 or inflections of the body, appeared to me ex- 

 tremely noble and calculated to perfuade, and 

 what he faid muft have been very eloquent, fince 

 after being ftript of all its ornaments in the 

 2nouth of the interpreter, who was only a man 

 of common parts, we were all perfectly charmed 

 with it *, and I do allure you, madam, that had 

 he continued to fpeak for two whole hours I could 

 have heard him with the greateft pleafure. Ano- 

 ther proof that the beauty of his difcourfe came 

 not from the interpreter is, that this man never 

 could have dared to take upon him to tell us from 

 himfelf all he faid to us ; I was even fomewhat 

 furprized at his boldnefs in repeating fo faithfully 

 as he did certain points which could not fail to be 

 difagreeable to the commandant. When the Hu- 

 ron orator had ended, Onanguice chief and orator 

 of* the Poutewatemies fpoke in a few words, and 

 after a very ingenious manner, to all that the 

 other had more largely expatiated upon, concluding 

 to the fame purpofe, as he had done ; the Outawais 

 fpoke not at all, but feemed to approve of what 

 had been faid by the others. 



The refult was that the French might ufe their 

 pleafure with refpect to the felling of brandy to 

 the Indians ; but they had done well had they 

 never fupplied them with any ; and it is impoffible 

 to imagine any thing ftronger than what the Hu- 

 r. n orator faid w hi lft he was laying open the dif- 

 orders occafioned by this beverage, and the mif- 

 chiefs it had done to all the Indian nations in ge- 

 neral 



