This country produces no venomous beasts, at least, that I
could hear of. In the warmer season there are sometimes found snakes,
not, however, thicker than one's finger, but their bite is not known to
be attended with any fatal consequences, There are no tygers, nor lions,
nor other beasts of prey to be afraid of unless bears, and that only in
their rutting-time, and even then it is very rare that they attack. As
there are then no carnivorous animals except the lynxes, who have a
beautiful skin, and these rarely fall upon any living creatures; the
sheep, oxen, and cows, are turned out into the woods or commons, without
any fear for them. Partridges are very common, and are large-sized, with
flesh very white. The hares are scarce, and have a white fur. There are
a great many beavers, elks, cariboux, (moose-deer) and other beasts of
the cold northern countries.
The original inhabitants of this country are the savages, who may be
divided into three nations, the _Mickmakis_, the _Maricheets_, or
_Abenaquis_, (being scarcely different nations) and the _Canibats_.
The _Mickmakis_ are the most numerous, but not accounted so good
warriors as the others: but they are all much addicted to hunting, and
to venery; in which last, however, they observe great privacy.
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