C 224 ) 



is of a middling hardnefs, and its bark very 

 rough. 



The Ofages, a pretty numerous nation fettled on 

 the banks of the river, bearing their own name, 

 which runs into the Miflburi about forty leagues 

 from its confluence with the Miflifippi, depute fome 

 of their people once or twice every year to fing the 

 calumet among the Kafkafquias, and they are now 

 actually here at prefent. I have juft ieen a Mif- 

 fourian woman who tells me, her nation is the firft 

 we meet with in going up the Miflburi ; from 

 whence we have given it this name, on account of 

 our not knowing its proper appellation. Their 

 fettlement is eighty leagues from the confluence of 

 that river with the Miflifippi. 



A little higher we find the Canfez, then the 

 ORotataS) called by fome the Mattotatas \ after- 

 wards the A'icueZ) and laftly the Panis,a very nume- 

 rous nation, and divided into feveral cantons, which 

 have names very different from one another. This 

 woman has confirmed to me, whatl had before learn* 

 ed from the Sioux, that the Miflburi rifes from very 

 high and bare mountains, behind which there is 

 another large river, which probably rifes from 

 thence alfo and runs to the weftward. This tefti- 

 mony is of fome weight, becaufe no Indians we 

 know of are accuftomed to travel fo much as the 

 Miflburis. 



Ail thefe nations of whom I have been fpeaking, 

 dwell upon the weftern bank of the Miflburi, ex- 

 cepting the Ai'ouez who live on the eaftern, and 

 are neighbours to the Sioux and their allies. The 

 mod confiderable rivers which fall into the Mif- 



fifippi 



