Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/139

 higher Ground, where we made a great Fire to warm and dry us.

We took Notice the Country was very good, the Plains extending as far as the Eye could reach, and adorn'd with many little Coppices, affording a very agreeable Prospect. We march'd over Part of them the 29th and 30th, after 3 Hours Travel, found a Way full of Water, which oblig'd us to incamp on the Bank of a River; pass'd it the 31th, and incamp'd in a Wood close by.

The next Day, being the First of February 1687, Monsieur da la Sale left me to guard the Camp, and took along with him, Monsieur Cavelier his Brother and seven Men, to go see whether he could find any Body in several Cottages our Hunters had discover'd. He found twenty four or twenty five of them, built round like those I have before mention'd, standing on a rising Ground, almost encompass'd by the River, in each of which there were four or five Men, and several Women and Children.

The Savages were somewhat surpriz'd at Monsieur de la Sale's coming; however they receiv'd him in friendly Manner, and conducted him to their Commander's Hut, which was immediately fill'd with People, who came to see him. The Elders came together there, Bullocks Hides were laid upon the Ground, on which they made Monsieur de la Sale and his Company sit. They gave them hung Beef to eat, and then signify'd to them that some of their Allies had given them Notice of our being in the Country, and that we were going to the Cenis, and they had imagin'd that we would pass thro' their Country.

Monsieur de la Sale present'd them with some Knives and Bits of Tabacco, and they gave him Bullocks Hides, very well dress'd with the Hair, they gave one for a Knife, and would have given many more, but that we told to them, that we had no Conveniency to carry them and that if they had any Horses, he would give them Axes in Exchange. They answer'd, they had but two, which they