C 238 ) 



that the river conftantly carries down with the cur- 

 rent a number of trees, or elfe receives them from 

 other rivers which fall into it ; and many of thefe 

 trees flopping on fome point of land or on fome 

 fhoal, there is danger every moment of running 

 / foul of a branch or a root under water, which would 



be fufficient to break thefe frail vehicles to pieces, 

 efpecially when in order to avoid an enemy or for 

 fome other reafon you are obliged to travel by 

 night, or to fet out before day. 



They muft therefore fubftitute pirogues in room 

 of canoes of bark, that is to fay, trunks of trees 

 hollowed, which are not fubjecl: to thefe inconve- 

 niencies, but are bad going vefTels, and not fo eafily 

 managed. 1 have one made of a wall-nut-tree, but 

 fo narrow that it cannot carry fail 5 and my guides 

 being accuftomed to thofe little paddles made ufe 

 of in canoes, are far from being expert at the ma- 

 nagement of the oar. Befides, if the wind rifes 

 ever fo little, the water comes into the pirogue 5 

 and this often happens at this feafon of the 

 year. 



On the tenth of November at funfet, I embark- 

 ed in the little river of Kafkafquias, and though it 

 was not two leagues to the Miffifippi, yet I was 

 obliged to encamp at half way, and the next day 

 I could not get further than fix leagues down the 

 river. The leaves fall fooner in this place than in 

 France, and do not begin to bud till about the end 

 of May, notwithstanding that it fnows very feldom 

 here, and although, as I have already obferved, 

 the winters are exceeding temperate. "What then 

 can be the reafon of this backwardnefs of the 

 fpring : for my part I can fee no other than the 

 4 thicknefs 



