[Sidenote: French _House among the_ Acconcea’s _describ’d_.]
The House we were then in, was built of Pieces of Cedar laid one upon another, and rounded away at the Corners; its roof is of bark. It is seated on a small Eminency, half a Musket-shot from the Village, in a Country abounding in all Things. The Plains lying on one Side of it, are stor’d with Beeves, wild Goats, Deer, Turkeys, Bustards, Swans, Ducks, Teal and other Game.
The Trees produce plenty of Fruit, and very good, as Peaches, Plumbs, Mulberries, Grapes, and Wallnuts. They have a Sort of Fruit they call _Piaguimina_, not unlike our Medlars, but much better and more delicious. Such as live near the Rivers, as that House is, do not want for Fish of all Sorts, and they have _Indian_ Wheat, whereof they make good Bread. There are also fine Plains diversify’d with several Sorts of Trees, as I have said before.
The Nation of the _Accancea’s_ consists of four Villages. The first is call’d _Otsotchove_, near which we were; the second _Toriman_, both of them seated on the River; the third _Tonginga_; and the fourth _Cappa_, on the Bank of the _Missisipi_. These Villages are built after a different Manner from the others we had seen before, in this Point, that the Cottages, which are alike as to their Materials and Rounding at the Top, are long, and cover’d with the Bark of Trees, and so very large, that several of them can hold two hundred Persons, belonging to several Families.
The people are not so neat as the _Cenis_, or the _Assonis_ in their Houses, for some of them lie on the Ground, without any Thing under them but some Mats, or a dress’d Hide. However, some of them have more Conveniencies, but the Generality has not.[115] All their Moveables consist in some Earthen Vessels and oval wooden Platters, which are neatly made, and with which they drive a Trade.
They are generally very well shap’d and active; the Women are handsome, or at least have a much better Presence than those of the other Villages we pass’d thro’ before. They make Canoes all of one Piece, which are well wrought. As for themselves they are very faithful, good natur’d, and Warriors like the rest.
[Sidenote: _The Ceremony of the Pipe perform’d to M._ Cavelier.]