Unloading our Horses, we perceiv’d there wanted a large Axe, which serv’d us for hewing down of Trees. Monsieur _de la Sale_ sent his _Indian_ to demand it, at the Village we came from last, the Savages said they had not seen it, and it was lost. He brought back Word, that the Savages had told him, that if we would stay for them, they would go along with, and shew us the Way.
However, we went on the 24th, and incamp’d on the Edge of a Marsh. The 25th, the Rain hinder’d us from Marching. The 26th, Monsieur _de la Sale_ perceiving how difficult and dangerous it was to cross that Marsh, sent his _Indian_ to the others, to know whether they really design’d to go with us. They answer’d, we must return thither to join them. The 27th. we decamp’d, in order to it; but took another Way to go meet the _Indians_. The 28th. we saw them marching at a Distance. One of them was detach’d to come tell us, that he would shew us the Way to cross the Marsh, and we went on and incamp’d at the Foot of the high Mountain I have spoken of.
The first of _March_, we join’d the _Indians_, on the Edge of the Marsh, which we had just cross’d, where the Rains kept us till the Fifth, during which Time we went to find out where we might pass a rapid Torrent, that discharges it self into the River call’d of _Canoes_, which we pass’d the 6th, in the Canoe we had made, and which did us good Service, to pass other Rivers we met with the 7th and the 8th on our Way.
The 9th, we did not stir, because of the Rain. The 10th, incamp’d on the Bank of a small River, which we cross’d the 11th, and the same Day another River, and incamp’d on the Bank of it, and found it adorn’d with very fine Mulberry Trees. The 12th we cross’d another River, and incamp’d near it. The 13th, came again to the River of _Canoes_, so called by Monsieur _de la Sale_, because he the first Time put Canoes into it, at his former Journey. We pass’d it the 14th, and incamp’d on the other Side where we again join’d the _Indians_.
The 15th, we held on our Journey with them, and found a pleasanter Country than that we had pass’d thro’; and Monsieur _de la Sale_ having in his former Journey hid some Indian Wheat and Beans, two or three Leagues from that Place, and our Provisions beginning to fall short, it was thought fit to go to that Place. Accordingly he order’d the Sieurs _Duhaut_, _Hiens_, _Liotot_ the Surgeon, his own _Indian_, and his Footman, whose Name was _Saget_, who were followed by some Natives, to go to the Place he described to them, where they found all rotten and quite spoilt.