( 61 ) 



clofe our eyes, though we had not flept for two 

 days ; and as the weather was fine, and the moon 

 fhone bright, we fet out again at three o'clock in 

 the morning. , 



After we had advanced five or fix leagues, we 

 found ourfelves a breaft of a little ifiand, which 

 lies near the weftern fide of the bay, and which 

 concealed from our view, the mouth of a river, on 

 which ftands the village of the Malhomines Indi- 

 ans, called by our French Folks Avoines or Wild 

 Oat Indians, probably from their living chiefly on 

 this fort of grain. The whole nation confifts only 

 of this village, and that too not very numerous, 

 a Tis really great pity, they being the fineft and 

 handfomeft men in all Canada. They are even of 

 a larger ftature than the Poutewatamies. I have 

 been afTured that they had the fame original and 

 nearly the fame languages with the Noquets, and 

 the Indians at the Falls. But they add that they 

 have like wife a language peculiar to themfelves, 

 which they never communicate. I have alfo been 

 told feveral ftories of them, as of a ferpent which 

 vifits their village every year and is received with 

 much ceremony, which makes me believe them a 

 little addicted to witchcraft. 



A little below the ifland the face of the country is 

 entirely changed, and from being very wild, as it is as 

 far as this place, it becomes the moft delightful in the 

 univerfe. It is even fomething more pleafing* and 

 chearful than the Narrows ^ but though it is every 

 where covered with the fineft trees, yet it is more 

 fandy, and therefore lefs fertile. The Otchagra 

 Indians, commonly called Stinkards, dwelt for- 

 merly on the fhore of the Bay, and in a moft 

 charming fituation j they were attacked here by 



the 



