from the mouth of the river to the Sault, which is so called, though it is not properly a waterfall but only an impetuous rapid full of rocks, that arrest its course and render the navigation almost impossible for three quarters of a league.
In time however
its
passage
may be facilitated.
The
remainder of the river has from the beginning a very fine bottom ; as many as eight islands are be met with before arriving at the basin, which is at the foot of the Sault.
to
This basin is like a little
lake, a league and a half in circumference and six to eight feet deep, where fish
abounds almost at
all seasons.
To the right of this basin in going up, is seen Fort Saint Louis, built quite recently here, which is very convenient for the design entertained against the Iroquois, since its position renders it almost impregnable and causes it to command the whole river. After passing the rapids of the Sault which extend three leagues, the third fort is visible that terminates all these rapids
:
for the river afterwards is very beautiM and quite navigable to the Lake
called Champlain, at the extremities of which we enter on the lands of the Mohawk Iroquois.
FRENCH EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE MOHAWKS.
OF THE
WAR AND THE TREATIES OF PEACE OF THE FRENCH WITH THE [
IROQUOIS.
Relation, &c, es annges, 1665, 1666. ]
The great varieties of Nations which are in these countries, the changeable and perfidious disand the barbarism of all these tribes not permitting us to hope for anystable peace with them except inasmuch as it can be maintained by the terror of the king's arms, it is not to be wondered at that peace succeeds war so easily, and that wars terminate so position of the Iroquois