them I saw three scalps fluttering in the wind, that they had taken
from their foes as a token of the truth of their victory. This castle
has two gates, one on the east and one on the west side. On the
east side a scalp was also hanging; but this gate was 1 1/2 feet
smaller than the other one. When at last we arrived in the chief's
house, I saw there a good many people that I knew; and we were
requested to sit down in the chief's place where he was accustomed
to sit, because at the time he was not at home, and we felt cold and
were wet and tired. They at once gave us to eat, and they made a
good fire. This castle likewise is situated on a very high hill, and
was surrounded with two rows of palisades. It was 767 paces in
circumference. There are 66 houses, but much better, higher, and
more finished than all the others we saw. A good many houses had
wooden fronts that are painted with all sorts of beasts. There they
sleep mostly on elevated boards, more than any other savages. In
the afternoon one of the council came to me, asking the reason of
our coming into his land, and what we brought for him as a present.
It told him that we did not bring any present, but that we only paid
him a visit. He told us that we were not worth anything, because
we did not bring him a present. Then he told us how the Frenchmen
had come thither to trade with six men, and had given them good
gifts, because they had been trading in this river with six men in
the month of August of this year. We saw very good axes to cut the
underwood, and French shirts and coats and razors; and this member
of the council said we were scoundrels, and were not worth anything
because we paid not enough for their beaver skins. They told us that
the Frenchmen gave six hands of seawan for one beaver, and all sorts
of things more. The savages were pressing closely upon us, so that
there was hardly room for us to sit. If they had desired to molest us,
we could hardly have been able to defend ourselves; but there was no