A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present TimeKerr, Robert
History
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels — Volume 06: Arranged in Systematic Order: Forming a Complete History of the Origin and Progress of Navigation, Discovery, and Commerce, by Sea and Land, from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time
Kerr, Robert
Voyages and travels
musical instruments to be sounded, which made the natives very merry. We
then took leave of them to return to our boats, on which the women
placed themselves in our way, offering us of their provisions which they
had made ready for us, such as fish, pottage, beans, and other things;
but, as all their victuals were dressed without salt, we did not like
them, and gave them to understand by signs that we were not hungry.
When we left the town, many of the men and women followed us, and
conducted us to the top of Mount Royal, which is about a league from the
town, and whence we had a commanding view of the country for thirty
leagues round. To the north we saw many hills stretching east and west,
and a similar range to the south, between which the whole country was
exceedingly pleasant, being level and fit for husbandry. In the midst of
these pleasant plains, we could see the river a great way farther up
than where we had left our boats; and at about fifteen leagues from us,
as far as we could judge, it came through the fair round mountains to
the south in a great rapid fall, the largest, widest, and swiftest that
ever was seen. The natives informed us that there were three such falls
besides; but as we did not understand their language, we could not learn
the distance between these. They likewise informed us by signs, that
after passing above these three falls, a man might sail three months
continually up the river, and that along the hills to the north, there
is another great river coming from the west, which we believed to be
that which runs through the country of Saguenay. One of the natives,
without any sign or question made to him, took hold of the silver chain
of our captains whistle, and the dagger haft of one of the mariners,
which was of gilt brass, giving us to understand that such metals came
from that river, where there were evil people named _Agouionda_, armed
even to their finger ends, shewing us the way in which their armour was
made, being wrought of cords and wood very ingeniously. They gave us
also to understand that these _Agouionda_ were continually at war among
themselves, but we could not learn how far their country lay, for want
of understanding their language. Our captain shewed them some copper,
which they call _caignetadize_, and asked them by signs if any came from
thence. They answered _no_, shaking their heads, but intimated that it
came from Saguenay, which is in quite a different direction. We now
proceeded towards our boats, accompanied by great numbers of the people,
some of whom, when they noticed any of our men weary, took them up on
their shoulders and carried them along. As soon as we got to the boats,
we set sail to return to our pinnace, being afraid lest any accident
might have happened in our absence. Our departure seemed to grieve these
friendly natives, who followed us along the shore as far as they were
able. We went so fast down the river, that we came to our pinnace on
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