sides upward of 500 or 600 morgen of flat land; yes, I think even
more. And after we had been marching about eleven leagues, we
arrived at one o'clock in the evening half a league from the first
castle at a little house. We found only Indian women inside. We
should have gone farther, but I could hardly move my feet because
of the rough road, so we slept there. It was very cold, with northerly
wind.

December 13. In the morning we went together to the castle over
the ice that during the night had frozen on the kill, and, after going
half a league, we arrived in their first castle, which is built on a
high hill. There stood but 36 houses, in rows like streets, so that
we could pass nicely. The houses are made and covered with bark
of trees, and mostly are flat at the top. Some are 100, 90, or 80
paces long and 22 and 23 feet high. There were some inside doors
of hewn boards, furnished with iron hinges. In some houses we
saw different kinds of iron work, iron chains, harrow irons, iron
hoops, nails,--which they steal when they go forth from here.
Most of the people were out hunting deer and bear. The houses
were full of corn that they call onersti, and we saw maize; yes,
in some of the houses more than 300 bushels. They make canoes
and barrels of the bark of trees, and sew with bark as well. We
had a good many pumpkins cooked and baked that they called
anansira. None of the chiefs were at home, but the principal
chief is named Adriochten, who lived a quarter of a mile from
the fort in a small house, because a good many savages here in
the castle died of smallpox. I sent him a message to come and
see us, which he did; he came and bade me welcome, and said
that he wanted us very much to come with him. We should have
done so, but when already on the way another chief called us, and