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into lake Huron, and the more fo as both, I mean 

 lake Michigan and the bay, receive feveral rivers % 

 lake Michigan efpecially, which receives a vaft 

 number of them, fome of which are no way in- 

 ferior to the Seine, but thefe great currents are 

 only perceived in the middle of the channel, and 

 produce on both mores eddies or counter currents, 

 •f which thofe who fail in more take advantage, 

 as all who fail in canoes of bark are obliged to 



I advanced at fir ft five leagues weft ward in or- 

 der to make lake Michigan ; afterwards I turned 

 towards the fouth, which is the only courfe we 

 had to ft^er for a hundred leagues, as far as the 

 river St. Jofeph. Nothing can be finer than tha 

 country which feparates lake Michigan from lake 

 Huron. I yefterday advanced three leagues farther, 

 and a ftrong wind obliged us to flop at this ifland 5 

 I mall try to divert myfelf by continuing the ac- 

 count of the character of the natives of this vaft 

 country, of which I have already travelled over a 

 confiderable part. 



The Indians of Canada are generally well made 

 and of an advantageous ftature ; there are fome 

 nations however, where it is no new thing to fee 

 perfons of a middling fize, but it is extremely fo 

 to meet with any who are decrepid, or who have 

 any external deformity ; they are robuft and of a 

 ftrong and healthy conftitution ; they would alfo 

 be very long-lived did they take a little more care 

 of themfelves ; but moft part of them ruin their 

 conftitutions by forced marches, by exceflive faft- 

 ing and intemperance in eating ; befides that du- 

 ring their infancy they often go barefoot in water, 

 and even upon mow and ice y the fpirituous li- 



