Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/166

 where the Natives said there were many Nations along its Banks. That made me believe, it was the very River we were in Search of, or at least that it must be the Way to come at it. I gave him to eat, and we went to Rest.

The next and the following Days, I continu'd trading, and the Elders their Visits, and their Discourse by Signs, concerning their intended War. Some of them gave me to understand, that they had been among the Spaniards, who are nevertheless about two hundred Leagues from them. They spoke some Words of broken Spanish, as Capita, instead of Capitan, a Captain, and Cohavillo instead of Cavallo, a Horse, and so of some others. Ruter, the French Man return'd to his Dwelling, I gave him some Strings of Beads for his Wives, and desir'd him to send the other French Man to me.

In the mean Time my being alone, as to any Person I could converse with, grew very irksome to me, and I know not whether an old Man did not perceive it; for he thought it would be proper to bring a Companion, to divert me, and at Night I was surpris'd to see a young Maid come sit down by me, and to hear the old Man tell me, he had brought her to be my Wife, and gave her to me; but I had far different Thoughts to disturb me. I spoke not one Word to that poor Maid; she stay'd some Time expecting I would take notice of her, and perceiving I did not stir, or speak one Word, she withdrew.

Thus I continu'd, without hearing any News, till the Sixth of April, when the two French Men, I have spoken of, came both, in the Indian Dress, each of them having only a Clout about him, some Turky Feathers on their Shoulders, their Heads and Feet bare. The latter of them whose name was Grollet, had not consented to have his Face mark'd like the other, nor to cut his Hair after the Indian Manner; for those People cut off all theirs, except a small Lock on the Crown of the Head, like the Turks, only some of them have small Tresses on the Temples.