254 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES
He did not trust entirely, however, to the relenting of the spirits
for his wife's cure, but came daily to Dr. Richardson for medicine.
Upon one occasion he received the medicine from the Doctor with
such formality, and wrapped it up in his rein-deer robe with such
extraordinary carefulness, that it excited the involuntary laughter of
Mr. Hood and myself. The old man smiled in his turn, and as he
always seemed proud of the familiar way in which we were accustomed
to joke with him, we thought no more upon the subject.
But he unfortunately mentioned the circumstance to his wife, who
imagined in consequence, that the drug was not productive of its
usual good effects, and they immediately came to the conclusion that
some bad medicine had been intentionally given to them. The distress
produced by this idea, was in proportion to their former faith in
the potency of the remedy, and the night was spent in singing and
groaning. N ext morning the whole family were crying in concert,
and it was not until the evening of the second day that we succeeded
in pacifying them. The old woman began to feel better, and her
faith in the medicine was renewed.
While speaking of this family, I may remark that the daughter,
whom we designated Green-stockings from her dress, is considered by
her tribe to be a great beauty. Mr. Hood drew an accurate portrait
of her, although her mother was averse to her sitting for it. She
was afraid, she said that her daughter’s likeness would induce the
Great Chief who resided in England to send for the original. The
young lady, however, was undeterred by any such fear. She has
already been an object of contest between her countrymen, and
although under sixteen years of age, has belonged successively to two
husbands, and would probably have been the wife of many more, if
her mother had not required her services as a nurse.
The weather during this month, was the coldest we experienced
during our residence in America. The thermometer sunk on one
occasion to 57° below zero, and never rose beyond 6° above i t ; the