their necks, in which they also carry a hollow piece of stone or
wood like a pipe. When they use this herb, they bruise it to powder,
which they put into one end of the before-mentioned pipe, and lay a
small piece of live coal upon it, after which they suck so long at the
other end that they fill their bodies full of smoke, till it comes out
of their mouth and nostrils, as if from the chimney of a fire-place.
They allege that this practice keeps them warm and is conducive to
health, and they constantly carry some of this herb about with them for
this purpose. We have tried to use this smoke, but on putting it to our
mouths it seemed as hot as pepper. The women among these savages labour
much more than the men, in tilling the ground, fishing, and other
matters; and all of them, men, women, and children, are able to resist
the extremity of cold better even than the wild beasts; for we have seen
them in the extremest cold, which is most amazingly severe, come stark
naked to our ships over the ice and snow, which must appear incredible
to those who have not witnessed such hardiness. During winter, when the
whole country is covered with ice and snow, they take great numbers of
wild beasts; such as stags, fauns, bears, martins, hares, foxes, and
many other kinds, the flesh of which they eat almost raw, being only
dried in the sun or in smoke, as they do their fish. So far as we were
acquainted with these people, it were an easy matter to civilize them
and to teach them any thing whatever: May God of his great mercy give a
blessing to this, in his good time. Amen!

SECTION III.

_Wintering of Jacques Cartier in Canada in 1536, and return to France
in 1537_.

The great river of Canada or Hochelega, begins at the sea or gulf of St
Lawrence below the Island of Assumption, or Anticosti. Over against the
high mountains of Hognedo and the Seven Islands, the breadth of this
river is from 35 to 40 leagues, being 200 fathoms deep in the mid
channel. The surest way to sail up this river is on the south side[53].
On the north side, at about seven leagues distance from the Seven
Islands, there are two considerable rivers which come from the hills of
Saguenay, and occasion several very dangerous shoals. At the entrance of
these rivers we saw vast numbers of whales and sea-horses; and near
these islands a small river runs in through marshy grounds, which is
frequented by immense numbers of water-fowl. From these Seven Islands to
Hoch