( 46 ) 



both of them are well wooded and the foil excel- 

 lent, whereas that of MichilJimakinac is only a 

 barren rock, being fcarce fo much as covered with 

 mots or herbage ; it is notwithstanding one of the 

 moil celebrated places in all Canada, and has been 

 a long time according to fome ancient traditions 

 among the Indians, the chief refidence of a nation 

 cf the fame name, and whereof they reckoned as 

 they fay to the number of thirty towns, which 

 were difperfed up and down in the neighbourhood 

 of the Kland. It is pretended they were deftroyed 

 by the Iroquois, but it is not faid at what time nor 

 on what occafion ; what is certain is, that no vef- 

 tige of them now remains ; I have fomewhere read 

 that our ancient mifTionaries have lately difcovered 

 fome relicks of them. The name of Michillima- 

 kinac fignifies a great quantity of turtles, but I 

 have never heard that more of them are found 

 here at this day than elfewhere. 



The Michillimakinacs live entirely by fifhing, 

 and there is perhaps no place in the world where 

 they are in greater plenty ^ the moft common forts 

 of fifh in the three lakes, and in the rivers which 

 difcharge themfelves into them, are the herring, 

 the carp, the gilt-fifh, the pike, the thirgeon, the 

 afiikamegue or white- fifh, and efpecially the trout. 

 There are three forts of thefe laft taken amongft 

 which is one of a monftrous fize, and in fo great 

 quantities, that an Indian with his fword will ftrike 

 to the number of fifty fometimes in the fpace of 

 three hours : but the moft: famous of all is the 

 white-fifh ; it is nearly of the fize and figure of a 

 mackrel, and whether frefh or faked nothing of a 

 fifh- kind can exceed it. The Indians tell you that 

 it was Michabou who taught their anceftors to fifh, 

 invented nets of which he took the idea from 

 3 Arachne's 



