We wandered on that gay river by the means of high and low gulfs that are
in it; ffor
Since I made reflection of the quantity of water that comes in
that river that comes from off the top of the high mountains with such a
torrent that it causes a mighty noise which would make the bouldest men
afraid. We went on some journeys with a deale of paines and labour becaus
for our weeknesse, and moreover a man of the other boat fell sick of the
ague, soe that one of us must helpe him either in the carriag or drawing
the boat; and, which was wors, my compagnion was childish and yong as I.
The long familiarity we had with one another breeded contempt, so that we
would take nothing from one another, which made us goe together by the
ears, and fought very often till we weare covered in blood. The rest tooke
delight to see us fight; but when they saw us take either gun or sword,
then came they to putt us a sunder. When we weare in the boat we could not
fight but with our tongues, flying water att one another. I believe if the
fathers' packet had ben there, the guift could not keepe it from wetting.
As for meat we wanted none, and we had store of large staggs along the
watter side. We killed some almost every day, more for sport then for
neede. We finding them sometimes in islands, made them goe into the watter
and after we killed about a score, we clipped the ears of the rest and hung
a bell to it, and then let them loose. What a sporte to see the rest flye
from that that had the bell!
As I satt with my compagnion I saw once of an evening a very remarquable
thing. There comes out of a vast forest a multitud of bears, 300 att least
together, making a horrid noise, breaking small trees, throwing the rocks
downe by the watter side. We shot att them but [they] stirred not a step,
which frightned us that they slighted our shooting. We knewed not whether
we killed any or no, because of the darke, neither dare we venter to see.
The wild men tould me that they never heard their father speake of so many
together.
We went to the other side to make cabbans, where being arrived, where we
made fire & put the kettle on. When it was ready we eat our belly full.
After supper the sick wild man tould me a story and confirmed it to be
true, which happened to him, being in warre in the upper Country of the
Iroquoits neere the great river that divides it self in two. "Brother,"
sayes he, "it's a thing to be admired to goe afar to travell. You must
know, although I am sick I am [a] man, and fought stoutly and invaded many.
I loved alwayes the ffrench for their goodnesse, but they should [have]
given us [to] kill the Algonkins.
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