As to the first, the little paper and leisure we have compels me to say in a few words what might justly fill a volume. The Huron country is not large, its greatest extent can be traversed in three or four days. Its situation is fine, the greater part of it consisting of plains. It is surrounded and intersected by a number of very beautiful lakes or rather seas, whence it comes that the one to the North and to the North-northwest is called "fresh-water sea" [mer douce].[33] We pass through it in coming from the Bissiriniens. The soil of this country is quite sandy, although not equally so. However, it produces a quantity of very good Indian corn, and one may [164] say that it is the granary of most of the Algonquains. There are twenty Towns, which indicate about 30,000 souls speaking the same tongue, which is not difficult to one who has a master. It has distinction of genders, number, tense, person, moods; and, in short, it is very complete and very regular, contrary to the opinion of many. I am rejoiced to find that this language is common to some twelve other Nations, all settled and numerous; these are, the _Conkhandeenrhonons, khionontaterrhonons, Atiouandaronks, Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons, Onoiochrhonons, Agnierrhonons, Andastoerrhonons, Scahentoarrhonons, Rhiierrhonons_, and _Ahouenrochrhonons_.[34] The Hurons are friends of all these people, except the _Sonontoerrhonons_, _Onontaerrhonons_, _Oüioenrhonons_, _Onoiochrhonons_ [165] and _Agnierrhonons_, all of whom we comprise under the name Hiroquois. But they have already made peace with the _Sonontoerrhonons_, since they were defeated by them a year past in the Spring.
Les deputez de tout le Pays sont allez à _Sonontoen_ pour cõfirmer cette paix, & dit on que les _Onontaerhonons, Ouioenrhonons, Ouiochrhonons & Agnierrhonons_, veulẽt entrer en ce party. Mais ce n'est pas chose asseurée; que si cela est, voila vne belle grande porte ouuerte à l'Euangile. On m'a voulu mener audit _Sonontoen_, mais ie n'ay pas iugé à propos d'aller encore en aucune part, iusques à ce que nous ayons icy mieux estably les fondemens de la Loy Euangelique, & que nous y ayons tiré vn crayon, sur lequel les autres Nations qui se conuertiront se puissent reigler. Ie voudrois bien n'aller en aucũ lieu qu'on [166] ne nous recogneust aussi tost pour Predicateurs de Iesus-Christ.