On the second day we came upon a village of the tribe of the Petits Renards (Little Foxes),[1] who showed great joy upon seeing us. After making them a number of presents I had our guides tell them that I was seeking the Gens des Chevaux who, we hoped, would conduct us to the sea. The result of this was that the entire village marched with us, still following the same route. I felt, indeed, at the time that we could hope to find nothing but a known sea. On the second day of the march we encountered a populous village of the same tribe. They showed us great friendliness. I gave them a number of presents, which they looked upon as great novelties, and they seemed to me very grateful for them. They guided us to a village of the Pioya[2] which we reached on the fifteenth. We were very well received there. After proffering them some presents I proposed to them that they conduct us to some tribe on the route to the sea. We continued on our way to the southwest. On the 17th we encountered a populous village of the same nation. I presented them with some gifts. We all marched on together, keeping to the south, until the 19th, when we reached a village of the Gens des Chevaux. They were in a state of great desolation. There was nothing but weeping and howling, all their village having been destroyed by the Gens du Serpent (Snake Indians) and only a few members of their tribe having escaped. These Snake Indians are considered very brave. They are not satisfied in a campaign merely to destroy a village, according to the custom of all other Indians. They continue their warfare from spring to autumn, they are very numerous, and woe to those whom they meet on their way!
They are friendly to no tribe. We are told that in 1741 they had entirely destroyed seventeen villages, had
