.( 9$ ) 



couching clofe to the ground, approached me as 

 foftly as poffible. He was jiift going to fire, when 

 I likewife began to think I faw fomewhat, but 

 without being able to diltinguifh what it was. As 

 I could not doubt however that this muft be fome 

 of my people 1 afked him whether he took me for 

 a bear ; he made no anfwer, and when 1 came up 

 to him I Found him quite fpeechiefs, and like a per- 

 fon feized with horror at the thoughts of what he 

 was going to do. His comrades afterwards told me 

 all that had happened. 



The river St. Jofeph is fo commodious for the 

 commerce of all parts of Canada, that it is no won* 

 der it has always been much frequented by the In- 

 dians. Befides it waters an extreme fertile country, 

 but this is not what thefe people efteem it moil for. 

 It is even great pity to give them good lands ; 

 which they either make no ufe of at all* or foon 

 run out by fowing maize on them. The Mafcou* 

 tins had not long fmce a fettlement on this river* 

 but have returned back to their own country which 

 is faid to be (till finer than this. *Fhe Poutewata- 

 mies have occupied fucceflively feveral polls here 

 where they (till are ; their village is on the fame 

 fide with the fort, a little below it and on a very 

 fine fpot of ground i that of the Miamis is on the 

 other fide of the river. 



Thefe Indians, who have from the earlieft times 

 applied themfelves more than others to the ftudy 

 of medicine, make great account of the root ging- 

 feng, and are perfuaded that this plant has the 

 virtue of rendering women fruitful. I do not be- 

 lieve however that it is for this reafon they have 

 given it the name of Abefoatchenza which fignifies 

 a child 5 it owes this name at leafi; amongfKjthe 

 H 2 IrOquois 



