We took Notice the Country was very good, the Plains extending as far as the Eye could reach, and adorn’d with many little Coppices, affording a very agreeable Prospect. We march’d over Part of them the 29th and 30th, after 3 Hours Travel, found a Way full of Water, which oblig’d us to incamp on the Bank of a River; pass’d it the 31th, and incamp’d in a Wood close by.
The next Day, being the First of _February 1687_, Monsieur _de la Sale_ left me to guard the Camp, and took along with him, Monsieur _Cavelier_ his Brother and seven Men, to go see whether he could find any Body in several Cottages our Hunters had discover’d. He found twenty four or twenty five of them, built round like those I have before mention’d, standing on a rising Ground, almost encompass’d by the River, in each of which there were four or five Men, and several Women and Children.
The Savages were somewhat surpriz’d at Monsieur _de la Sale’s_ coming; however they receiv’d him in friendly Manner, and conducted him to their Commander’s Hut, which was immediately fill’d with People, who came to see him. The Elders came together there, Bullocks Hides were laid upon the Ground, on which they made Monsieur _de la Sale_ and his Company sit. They gave them hung Beef to eat, and then signify’d to them that some of their Allies had given them Notice of our being in the Country, and that we were going to the _Cenis_, and they had imagin’d that we would pass thro’ their Country.
Monsieur _de la Sale_ present’d them with some Knives and Bits of Tabacco, and they gave him Bullocks Hides, very well dress’d with the Hair, they gave one for a Knife, and would have given many more, but that we told to them, that we had no Conveniency to carry them and that if they had any Horses, he would give them Axes in Exchange. They answer’d, they had but two, which they could not part with. It being late when Monsieur _de la Sale_ return’d, we staid there the rest of the Day, and several _Indians_ came to see us, in Hopes of receiving some Present, offering us Bullocks Hides dressed, which we would not burden our selves with.
The Second, we set out again, and halted some Time in that Village, where by the Way we barter’d for some Collars, or a Sort of Knots[87] made of Bullocks Hides well dress’d, which the Natives make Use of to carry their Burdens, whether of Wood, Utensils, or the Meat they kill. They prov’d of Use both to us and our Horses, because the Thongs of those Collars serv’d to make fast our Burdens.