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the fpring feafon fo that we were obliged to walk 

 above half a league, before we could get to our 

 cabbins. I was aftonifhed they had pitched upon 

 fo inconvenient a fituation, efpecially as they had 

 fo many better in their choice ; but 1 was told that 

 the MifMippi wafhed the toot of that village when 

 it was built, that in three years it has loft half a 

 league or its breadth, and that they were thinking 

 of leeking out for another habitation, which is no 

 great affair amongft the Indians. 



I pafled the night in the miffionaries houfe, who 

 are two Ecclefiafticks from the feminary of Que- 

 beck, formerly my difciples, but they muft now 

 be my mailers. M. Taumur the eldeft of he two 

 was abient ; I found the youngeft M. le Mercier 

 fuch as he had been reprefented to me, rigid to 

 himfelf, full of charity to others, and difplaying 

 in his own perfon, an amiable pattern of virtue. 

 But he enjoyed fo ill a date of health, that I am 

 afraid he will not be ab e long to fupport that kind 

 of life, which a miffionary is obliged to lead in 

 this country. 



On the eleventh after failing five leagues farther, 

 I left on my right the river Marameg, where they 

 are at prefent employed in fearching for a filver 

 mine. Perhaps, your Grace may not be difpleafed 

 if I inform you what fuccefs may be expected from 

 this undertaking. Here follows what I have been 

 able to learn about this affair from a perfbn who 

 is well acq ainted with it, and who has refided for 

 feveral years on the fpot. In the year 1 7 19, the 

 Sieur de Lochon being fent by the Wefl>|ndia com- 

 pany in quality of founder, having dug in a place 

 which had been marked out to him, drew up a 

 pretty large quantity of ore, a |>ound whereof, 



which 



