Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/200

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severe and have Patience, in Hopes of the Relief we wou'd send him, and so we imbark'd on the Missisipi in a Canoe, being Nine in Number, that is, five of us, and the four Indians that were our Guides. We were oblig'd to cross that River very often, and no less frequently to carry our Canoe and Goods, as well on Account of the Rapidity of the River, and to find it slacker on the one or the other Side of it, which was very troublesome to our Guides, as because of the little islands we met with, which are form'd by the impetuous beating of the Water upon the Banks, that oppose its Course, where the Channels happen not to lie strait; there it washes away the Earth and bears down great Trees, which in Process of Time form little Islands, that divide the Channel. At Night we incamp'd in one of those small Islands, for our greater Safety, for we were then come into an Enemy's Nation, call'd Machigamea, which put our Indians into great Frights.

It is certain our Toil was very great, for we were oblig'd to row in the Canoe, to help our Indians to stem the Current of the River, because we were going up, and it was very strong and rapid; we were often necessitated to land, and sometimes to travel over miry Lands, where we sunk up half way the Leg; other Times over burning Sands, which scorch'd our Feet, having no Shoes, or else over Splinters of Wood, which ran into the Soles of our Feet, and when we were come to the resting Place, we were to provide Fuel to dress our Meat, and provide all Things for our Indians, who would not have done so much as go fetch a Cup of Water, tho' we were on the Bank of the River, and yet we were happy enough in having them.

We proceeded on, continually undergoing the same Toil, till the Seventh, when, we saw the first Bullock, we had met on our Way, since our coming among the Accancea's. The Indians, who had a great Mind to eat Flesh, made a Sign to me, to go kill it. I pursu'd and Shot, but it did not fall, the Indians ran after, kill'd, and came to tell us