( m 3 



province. The firft is its fuuation, which is very 

 near Canada, with which ic will at all times pre- 

 fer ve a communication, equally ufeful to both co- 

 lonies. The feconcl is, that it is capable of be- 

 coming the granary of Louisiana, which it is able to 

 furnifh with corn in abundance, even fhould it be 

 peopled quite to the fea. 



The foil is not only extremely proper for wheat, 

 but, befides, refufes nothing neceffary or ufeful for 

 human life. The climate is extremely temperate, 

 lying in thirty-eight degree?, thirty-nine minutes 

 north latitude ; cattle and fheep would multiply 

 here wonderfully, even the wild Buffaloes might 

 be tamed, and great advantages drawn from a trade 

 of their wool and hides, and from their fupplying the 

 inhabitants with food. The air is very wholfome, and 

 if fome di (tempers are feen in ir, they ought to be im- 

 puted to the poverty or libertinifm of the inhabitants, 

 and perhaps, in fome meafure, to the lands be- 

 ing newly cleared ; but this laft inconvenience can- 

 not always laft, and the change of climate will be 

 nothing to thofe who may happen to be born here 

 afterwards. In the laft place, we are more aflured 

 of the friendship of the Illinois, than of any other 

 Indian nation in Canada, the Abenaquis except- 

 ed. They are almoft all Chriftians, of a mild 

 difpofition, and extremely well affected towards the 

 French. 



Here I am, Madam, at the diftance of a hun- 

 dred and fifty leagues from the place where I began 

 this letter : I fhall finim it here, and give it to a 

 traveller, who reckons to be much loom r at New- 

 Orleans than I, as he intends to flop no where, 

 whereas I fhall be obliged to make fome flay among 

 the Natchez. Befides, I had laid my account of 



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