Découverte de quelques pays et nations de l´Amerique Septentrionale [The Discovery of Several Countries and Nations in North America]

              i[English translation]



invited us to enter their Village, where all the people impatiently awaited us. These pipes for smoking tobacco are called in this country Calumets. This word has come so much into use that, in order to be understood, I shall be obliged to use it, as I shall often have to mention these pipes.



At the Door of the Cabin in which we were to be received was an old man, who awaited us in a rather surprising attitude, which constitutes a part of the Ceremonial that they observe when they receive Strangers. This man stood erect, and stark naked, with his hands extended and lifted toward the sun, As if he wished to protect himself from its rays, which nevertheless shone upon his face through his fingers. When we came near him, he paid us This Compliment: “How beautiful the sun is, O frenchman, when thou comest to visit us! All our village awaits thee, and thou shalt enter all our Cabins in peace.” Having said this, he made us enter his own, in which were a crowd of people; they devoured us with their eyes, but, nevertheless, observed profound silence. We could, however, hear these words, which were addressed to us from time to time in a low voice: “How good it is, My brothers, that you should visit us.”



After We had taken our places, the usual civility of the country was paid to us, which consisted in offering us 








[OCR of French page; consult page images for accurate text]


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nous inviterent d'entrcr dans leur Village, oti tout le peuple nous attendoit avec impatien¬ ce, Ces pipes a prendre du tabac s'appellent en ee pays des Calumets. Ge motley eft mis tellement en ufage, que pour eftre entendu je foray oblige de m'en lervir , ayant a en par¬ ler plufieurs fois. ; A la porte de la Cabanne ou nous devions • eftre receu eftoit un Vieillard ^qui nous atten¬ doit dans une pofture alfez furprenante ^ qui eft la ceremonie qu'ils gardent lorfqu'ils recoi- vent des Etrangers. Cet homme eff oit debout & tout nud J tenant fes mains ecenducs Sc ele¬ vees vers le Soleil , comme s'll eut voulu fe defendre centre  fes rayons , lefquels  nean- moins paflbient llir fon vifage entre fes doigts: Quand nous fumes proche de luy, il nous fit ce compliment; Que Ie Soleil eft beau , Fran¬ cois 3 quand tu nous viens vifiter : rout noftre Bourg t'attend, tu entteras en paix dans tou¬ tes nos Cabanes. II nous introduifit dans la fienne , oil il y avoir une foule de   monde ' qui nous devoroit des yeux , & qui cependant gar doit un profond filence. On ent endoit feu¬ lement ces paroles ^ qu'on nous adrcflbit de ' teins en terns & d'une voix balle , Qife voila qui eft bien, mes FrereSj'que vous nous vifi- tcz,
Apres que nouseufines pris places , on nouS fit lacivilite ordirnaire^ qui ^ft dc nous pre-
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