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this is being perfecuted by the dogs. The Indians 

 have always a great number of thefe animals which 

 follow them every where, and are remarkable for 

 their fidelity ; not very fawning indeed as they are 

 never carefied by their matters, but bold and good 

 hunters : I have already faid that they are trained 

 up betimes for the different chaces, for which they 

 are intended ; and I may add, that every Indian 

 muft have a confiderable number of them, as many 

 of them perifh by the teeth and horns of wild 

 beads, which they attack with a courage that 

 nothing is capable of making. Their matters are 

 at very little pains in feeding them, fo that they 

 are obliged to live upon what they can catch, and 

 as this goes no great way with them, it is no won- 

 der they are very meagre and thin of flefh ; befides 

 they have very little hair, which renders them very 

 fenfible to the cold. 



In order to defend themfelves from it, if they 

 cannot get near the fire, which it would be diffi- 

 cult for all of them to do, even were there no- 

 body in the cabbin, they lye down on the ftrft per- 

 fon they meet, and one is often fuddenly awakened 

 in the night, almoft choaked with two or three 

 dogs upon hirn. Were they a little more difcreet 

 in chufing their place, their company would not 

 be extremely troublefome, and one might put up 

 with them pretty well but they lay themfelves 

 down where they can, and it is in vain to drive 

 them away for they return the inftant after. It is 

 ftill worfe in the day time ; as foon as any thing 

 eatable appears, you cannot imagine what leaps they 

 make to match it out of your hands. Imagine to 

 yourfelf the cafe of a poor miflionary crouching near 

 the fire, to fay his breviary or read fome book, 

 ftriving with the fmoke and expofed to the im- 

 K 2 portunity 



