Granting that the said Travellers are not sometimes exact, or agree among themselves in their Relations, their Descriptions and their Maps; this must be an unavoidable Fault in Discoverers; but even that is advantageous to the Publick, for as much as their Successors are excited to examine those Points more strictly, to correct, explain and ascertain those Mistakes. In acknowledgment therefore of the Service done us by those Illustrious Adventurers and to make them some Sort of Amends for their Sufferings, let us transmit their Names to Posterity in our Writings; let us applaud their Actions when we read them, and let us commend their Relations. This here, most certainly deserves to be read and commended, for it is Curious, Extraordinary and Tragical. It is also, as has been said before, ingaging, at this Conjuncture, when there is a Design of making Settlements in those Countries, it mentions, the Consequence whereof may be most Honourable and Advantageous to the Nation. The Travel thro’ that Country is one of the greatest and most full of Difficulties that has been perform’d; the Relation of it being made by an Eye Witness, and in a natural, plain and particular Manner, deserves to be credited; but being only a Journal, it is not capable of admitting of Ornaments or Embellishments. The Reader will be pleas’d to excuse the Repetition of the same Words in it, on Account of the Impossibility of doing otherwise, and will think it enough that the Barrenness of the Narration is made Amends for by the Curiosity of the Subjects. I am of Opinion the small Notes I have added will not be displeasing, because they explain some Particulars, which are not very intelligible to such as are not us’d to read many Travels. After having said the Good and the Bad of this _North America_, mentioning the Beauty and Excellency of its Climate and the Brutality of its People, and recited the infinite Hardships, those who design to travel must resolve to undergo, I am of Opinion it will be proper to say something of the late Monsieur _de la Sale_, who is the principal Person, and as it were, the Hero of this Relation, tho’ having been murdered by his own Men, he fell the unfortunate Victim of the Discovery here treated of. It is also convenient to make known what went before that, which is contain’d in this Journal, and the present happy Consequence of that fatal Enterprize. Here follows what I have of my own particular Knowledge, and by what has been written. [Sidenote: _Account of Monsieur_ de la Sale.]