Our Design being to make the best of our way to _Canada_, in Order to set out Aboard the first _French_ Ships that should Sail for _France_, we enquired how we were to proceed, and met with several Difficulties. The Navigation on that River was very Dangerous,[117] by Reason of the Falls there are in it, which must be carefully avoided, unless a Man will run an inevitable Hazard of perishing. There were few Persons capable of managing that Affair, and the War with the _Iroquois_ made all Men afraid. [Sidenote: _Oct. 1687_] However the Sieur _Boisrondet_, Clerk to the late Monsr. _de la Sale_, having told us he had a Canoe, in which he design’d to go down to _Canada_, we prepared to make use of that Opportunity. Care was taken to gather Provisions for our Voyage, to get Furs to barter as we pass’d by _Micilimaquinay_. The Visits of two Chiefs of Nations, call’d _Cascasquia_ _Peroueria_ and _Cacahouanous_ discover’d by the late Monsieur _de la Sale_, did not interrupt our Affairs, and all things being ready on the 1st, we took Leave on the 18th, of those we left in the Fort. Monsieur _Cavelier_ writ a Letter for Monsieur _Tonty_, which he left there to be delivered to him, and we repair’d to the Lake to imbark. [Sidenote: _M._ Cavelier, _&c. set out and returns again_.] It would be needless to relate all the Troubles and Hardships we met with, in that Journey, it was painful and fruitless, for having gone to the Bank of the Lake, in very foul Weather, after waiting there eight Days, for that foul Weather to cease, and after we had imbark’d, notwithstanding the Storm, we were oblig’d to put Ashore again, to return to the Place where we had imbark’d, and there to dig a Hole in the Earth, to bury our Baggage and Provisions, to save the Trouble of carrying them back to Fort _Lewis_, whither we return’d and arrived there the 7th of _October_; where they were surpriz’d to see us come back. Thus were we oblig’d to continue in that Fort all the rest of _Autumn_ and Part of the _Winter_, to our great Sorrow, and not so much for our own Disappointment, as for being, by that Means, obstructed from sending of Succours, as soon as we had expected, as well to the said Fort, as to those _French_ of our own Company, whom we had left on the Coast of the Bay of _Mexico_. It was then the good Season for shooting. Those Gentlemen at the Fort had secur’d two good _Indian_ Sportsmen, who never let us want for Wild Fowl of all Sorts; besides we had good Bread, and as good Fruit, and had there been any Thing to drink besides Water, we had far’d well. The Leisure we had during our Stay there, gave me an Opportunity of making the following Remarks, as well of my own Observation, as what I learn’d of the _French_ residing there. [Sidenote: _Description of Fort_ Lewis _and the Country about it_.]