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Show 252 Tl!t: LILY AND TilE TOTEM. old chief im·ited the Frcnchm<'n once more to remove and plant in his territories. He proffered to gi\"C him a grca~ country, and would nlways supply him with a sufftcicnt quantity of grain. Audusta. had known the Frenchmen almost entirely by benefits and good fellowship. The period of this visit to Audu~t:L, which was probably in :he month of December, is distingui~l1ed in the chronicle of Laudonnierc, by expressions of delightful surprise a~ the number of stock doves (wild pigeons) which came about the garrison-u in so greate number, that, for the space of seven 'feekcs together," they" killed with harqucbush sl1ot at least two hundred every day." This was good feeding. On the return of Capt. Vasseur from Lis ,·isit to Audusta, he was sent with a pre· sent "unto the widow of Kingc llioco.in, whoso dwelling was distant from our fort about twelve leagues northwnrd. She courtoously received our men, sent me ba.ckc my burkes, full of mil and acorncs, with ccrtninc baskets full of the leaves of cassine, wherewith they make their dl"inke. And the place where this widow dwellcth, is the most plentifull of mil that is in all tho coast, and the most plcasantc. It is thought that the quceuc is the most bcaulifull of all the Indians, and of whom they make the most nccount: yen, and her subjects honour her so much tl111.t almost continually they bcnrc her on their shoulders, and will not suffer her to go on foot.n The visit of Laudonnicre, through his lieutenant, was returned, in a. few days, by tho beautiful widow, through her Hiatiqui, uwhicb is as much as to say, her Int.crprcter." Laudonniere continued his cxplorntions, still seeking provisions, and with the view to keeping l1is people from tha~ idleness which hitherto bad caused such injurious discontents in his garrison. His barks were sent up May River, to discover its sources, and liiSTOniCAL SUMMARY. 253 make the acquaintance of the tribes by which its borders were occupied. Thi1·ty leagues beyond the place called i\Iathiaf]_un, " th ·y discovered the entrance of a lake, upon the one side wl1creof no land can be scene, ar.cording to the report of tho Indians, which had oftentimes climbed on the highest. trees in the couutry to sec land, aud notwithstanding could ootdisccrnc any." These few sentences may assi~t in enabling the present occupants of the St. Johu's to establish the location along that river, at tho period of which wo write. The ignorance of the Indians in regard to the country opposite, along the lake, indicates equally the presence of numerous tl"ibes, and the absence of much ad\·cntu1·e or enterprise among them-results that would seem equally to flow from the productive fertility of the soil, and tho abundance of the game in tho country. With this aeoountof it as a terra incognita, tbc explorers ceased to ad\'nncc. In rc· turning, they paid a visit to tho islaud of Edelano--ono of those names of the Indians, wl1ich harbors in tho car with n. musical sweetness which commends it to continued utterance. \Vc 11hould do well to employ it now in connection with some island spot of rare beauty in the same region. This island of Edelano is " situated in the midst of the ri\·cr ; as f:1ir a place as any thnt may be secoc thorow the world; for, in the space of some throe leagues that it may containo, in length and breadth, a man may see au exceedingly l"ich countrcy and marvellously peopled. At tho coming out of the village of ·Edelnuo, to goc unto the river side, a mnu must passe thorow an alley about three hundred paces long and fifty paces broad; on both sides whereof great trees are planted, tho boughcs whereof arc tied (blended?] together like an arch, and meet together so nrtlficially [as if done by art] that a man would tbinko it were au |
