Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/141

 them some small Presents. They admir'd that after we had writ down some Words they spoke to us, we repeated them, looking on the Paper.

Whilst we staid, Monsieur de la Sale set Men at Work to make a portable Canoe, of long Poles, hew'd and joyn'd and then cover'd with Bullocks Hides sew'd together, having pull'd off the Hair or Wooll, as it may be call'd there. That Canoe was of great Use to us, to cross Rivers as well for our selves as for our Baggage, but the Horses swam over.

The Ninth, we put our Canoe into the Water, and pass'd the River in it, and incamp'd half a League from thence, on Account of the Grass, which our Horses stood in Need of to recover themselves a little. The Tenth, we held on our Journey, crossing several spacious Plains, the Grass whereof was burnt, whence Monsieur de la Sale concluded, that there were many Natives thereabouts. He thought it convenient to provide Store of dry'd Flesh, for Fear we should not find Game in the Country we were going to enter upon, and accordingly caused several Beeves to be kill'd for that Purpose.

For that Reason, we continued there till the 12th, when we went and incamped on the Bank of a River, which Monsieur de la Sale had in his former Journey call'd d'Eure. At Night there arose a storm, follow'd by Thunder and Rain, which swell'd the Streams, and obliged us to stay there. The 13th and 14th we cross'd four or five large Rivulets, and then a fine curious Country, diversify'd with several little Woods, Hills and small Brooks, affording a delightful Prospect. That pleasant Country was terminated by a Wood, which we were to cross, and were favour'd in it by a Way beaten by the Bullocks, and at Night we incamped there.

The 15th, we travel'd along a fine Meadow, then over