Joutel's Journal of La Salle's Last Voyage, 1684-7Joutel, Henri
History
Joutel's Journal of La Salle's Last Voyage, 1684-7
Joutel, Henri
La Salle, Robert Cavelier, sieur de, 1643-1687; Louisiana -- History -- To 1803; Mississippi River -- Discovery and exploration
If they must venture upon the Water, there are only some wretched
Canoes, made either of the Barks of Trees or of Bullocks Hides, and
those they must often carry or drag along the Land, when the Falls of
the Rivers obstruct making use of them. All the Bed is lying on the
bare Ground, exposed to the Inclemencies of the Air, to be devour’d by
Alligators and bit by Rattle Snakes; without Bread, Wine, Salt and all
other Comforts of Life, and this for some Years. The Diet altogether
consists in a poor Pap or Hasty-Pudding made of the Meal of _Indian_
Corn, Fish half broil’d or ill boil’d, and some Beef or wild Goats
Flesh, dry’d in the Air and Smoke. Besides, what a Trouble is it to
invent Signs to be understood by so many several Nations, each of which
has it’s peculiar Language? All this an Adventurer must resolve with
himself to go through, who designs to make Discoveries in _Canada_; and
it would be hard to believe this, did not all those who write of it
exactly agree in this Particular.
However that Country is good and pleasant, at least towards the South,
which is what is here spoken of. The Temperature of the Climate is
admirable, the Soil excellent for Tillage, and it is extraordinary
fertil in all Sorts of Grain and Fruit; which appears by those the Land
produces of it self in great Plenty. The Hills and Woods produce Timber
for all Uses and Fruit Trees, as well of cold as hot Countries. There
are Vines which want but little Improvement; there are Sugar-Canes,
large Meadows, and navigable Rivers full of Fish. It is true they
are infested with Alligators, but with a little Care they are to be
avoided; as may the Rattle-Snakes, which are extraordinary venomous,
but never bite unless they are hurt. There are thousands of wild
Bullocks, larger than ours, their Flesh good, and instead of Hair,
they have a Sort of curl’d Wool extraordinary fine. There are Abundance
of Deer, wild Goats and all Sorts of wild Fowl, and more especially of
Turkeys. As there are Poisons and Venoms, so there are immediate and
wonderful Antidotes.
We must not look there for rich and stately Cities, or lofty
Structures, or any of those Wonders of Architecture, or the Remains and
ancient Monuments of the Vanity of great Men; but we may there admire
Nature in its beautiful Simplicity, as it came from the Hands of its
Creator; without having been alter’d or depraved by Ambition or Art.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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