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when I received a vifit from the chief of the vil- 

 lage, who is a man of about forty years of age, 

 well-made, of a mild temper, a good countenance^ 

 and very well fpoken of by the French. 



1 afterwards went up to this rock by a pretty eafy, 

 but very narrow afcent. I found here a very level 

 terras, and of a great extent, where twenty men 

 might defend themfelves againft all the Indians 

 of Canada, provided they had fire-arms, and could 

 be fupplied with water ; but that is only to be had 

 from the river, and to obtain it they would be ob- 

 liged to expofe themfelves. The only refource of 

 the befieged would be the natural impatience of 

 thofe barbarians. In fmall parties they will wait 

 With pleafure for eight or ten days behind a bufh, 

 in the hope that fome one may pafs, whom they 

 may kill or take prifoner ; but, in large bodies, if 

 they do not fucceed at the firft, they are foon tired, 

 and lay hold of the firft pretence to retire, which 

 is never wanting, a dream, real or pretended, being 

 all that is necefiary for that purpofe. 



The rain, and much more a fpectacle which, 

 ftruck me with horror, prevented me from making 

 the tour of thefe rocks, from whence I imagined I 

 mould difcover an extenfive country. I perceived 

 at the extremity, and immediately above the vil- 

 lage, the bodies of two Indians who had been burnt 

 a few days before, and whom they had left accord- 

 ing to cuftom, to be devoured by the birds, in the 

 fame pofture in which they were executed. The 

 manner of burning prifoners amongft thefe fouth- 

 ern nations is fomewhat lingular, and they have 

 fome cuftoms different from the others in their man- 

 ner of treating thofe unhappy wretches. « 



When 



