not over cordial, owing to a misapprehension of the purpose of his visit. His observations of those other than his compatriots were not always accurate, but the value of his narrative stands out as an interesting attempt to set down the condition of the country from the point of view of one who was a Frenchman, first, last, and all the time.
His report included geographic description, history of discoveries, hydrography of the coasts, statistics of the country, customs of the inhabitants and of the Indians.
The following are Chapters VII and VIII of Volume II, of his work which was published in Paris in 1844, by order of the King.
CHAPTER VII
All the forts of the Company are built on almost the same plan; they are in the form of a quadrilateral of one or one hundred and fifty meters[1] along the front, and are surrounded by a stockade six meters high made of logs'; around some of them there runs an upper gallery; at the four corners are bastions armed with four or eight guns of small calibre. These rude fortifications suffice to hold the Indians in awe, and, in case of need, to repulse their attacks. There is not a single English soldier in the Territory of the Company; but in places where the In-
- ↑ A meter is 39.37 inches.
