the mouth of that river, where a creature dwelt, having the form of a
woman and called by the Indians Gougou. She was very frightful, and so
enormous that the masts of the vessel could not reach her waist. She had
already eaten many savages and constantly continued to do so, putting them
first into a great pocket to await her hunger. Some of those who had
escaped said that this pocket was large enough to hold a whole ship. This
creature habitually made dreadful noises, and several savages who came on
board claimed to have heard them. A man from St. Malo in France, the Sieur
de Prevert, confirmed this story, and said that he had passed so near the
den of this frightful being, that all on board could hear its hissing, and
all hid themselves below, lest it should carry them off. This naturally
made much impression upon the young Sieur de Brissac, and he doubtless
wished many times that he had stayed at home. On the other hand, he
observed that both M. de Vignan and M. de Prevert took the tale very
coolly and that there seemed no reason why he should distrust himself if
they did not. Yet he was very glad when, after passing many islands and
narrow straits, the river broadened and they found themselves fairly in
the St. Lawrence and past the haunted Bay of Chaleurs. They certainly
heard a roaring and a hissing in the distance, but it may have been the
waves on the beach.

But this was not their last glimpse of the supposed guardians of the St.
Lawrence. As the ship proceeded farther up the beautiful river, they saw
one morning a boat come forth from the woods, bearing three men dressed to
look like devils, wrapped in dogs' skins, white and black, their faces
besmeared as black as any coals, with horns on their heads more than a
yard long, and as this boat passed the ship, one of the men made a long
address, not looking towards them. Then they all three fell flat in the
boat, when Indians rowed out to meet them and guided them to a landing.