Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: French Bookseller TO THE READER. The Manuscript of this Journal hapning to fall into my Hands, and having shnvn it to som Persons well vers'd in these Affairs, they were of Opinion it desen/d to be printed; especially at this Time, ivhen travels are so much in Request, and in regard this is now seasonable, on Account of the Description it gives of the famous River Mis- sisipi and of the Country of Louisiana, where it is intended to make great Settlements. Besides, this Relation is uncommon, curious and ingaging, both in Regard to the Honour and Advantage of the Nation, for as much as it contains the Attempts and the bold and glorious Undertakings of our French Adventurers, who not satisfied, like others, with discovering the Borders and Coasts of unknown Countries, proceed to penetrate into the Inland, through a thousand Dangers and Hazards of their Lives. Is it not very commendable in them, to make us fully acquainted with that great remaining Part of the World, which for so many Ages continued unknown to our Forefathers, till about two hundred Years ago Christopher Columbus discover'd it, and Americus Vespusius going over soon after, gave it his Name, causing it to be call'd America ? One of those whom I desired to peruse this Manuscript, has a little polish'd it, pursuant to the Orders I receiv'd; and he having been a considerable Traveller, was a proper Person to judge of and put it into a Dress fit to appear in publick. The Letter he writ to me, being not only instructive, in Relation to the Journal, but of Use as a curious Supplement to it, I thought the inserting of it would be acceptable. It is as follows. SIR, I Return you your Manuscript; the Reading of it has reviv'd the Satisfaction I once took in my Travels; it has oblig'd me to read over again tho...