is fo violent as to reduce them in général to a very meagre appearance.
Their religion is of a very contraûed nature, and' I never witnefled any
ceremony of devotion which they had riot borrowed from the Knifte-
neaux, their feafts and falls being in imitation of that people. They are
more viciousand warlike than the Ghepewyans, from whence they fprang,
though they do not poffefs their felfifhnefs, for while they have the means
of purchafing their necefl’aries, they are liberal and generous,'but when
thofe are exhaüfted they become errant beggars:, they are,however, te»
markable -for their honefty, for in the whole ta b r there, were only two
women and a man who had been known, to have fwerved from that virtue,
and they were eonfidered as objeéïs of difregard and reprobation. They
are afflicted with but few difeafes, and their only rernedies confift in
binding the temples, procuring perfpiration, finging, and blowing on the
fick perfon, or affefted part. When death overtakes any of them, their
property, as I have before obferved, is faerificed and deftroyed; nor is
there any fail are of lamentation or mourning; on'fa ch oecalion: they
who are more nearly related to the departed perfon, black their faces,
and fbmetimes cut off - their-hair; theyaifo pierce their arms, with
knives and arrows. The grief of the females is carried to a ftill
greater excefs; they not only cut their hair, and cry and howl, but
they will fometimes, with the utmoft deliberation, employ feme fliarp
inflrument to feparate the nail from the finger, and then force back
the flefh beyond the firft joint, which they immediately amputate.
But this extraordinary ' mark o f affliction is only difplayed on the
death of a favourite fen, an hufband, or a father. Many of the old
women have fo often repeated this ceremony, that they have,not a complete
finger remaining on either hand. The women renew their lamentations
tat ions at the graves of their departed relatives, for a long fucceffion of
years. : They appear, in . common with all the Indian tribes-,'to be very
fond of their children, but they are as carelefs in their mode 6f fwadling
them in their infant date, as they a r e o f their ; own drefs: the child is
laid down on a board, of about two feet fong,.covered.with; a bed of
mofs, to which it is faftenedby bandages, the mofs being chaDged as
often as the occafion requires. The chief o f the nation had ©P left .than
nine wives, and children in proportion.
; When traders firft appeared; among thefe people, the Canadians were
treated with the utnaoft hospitality and attention ; hut they hav£,by
their fubfequent conduâ, .‘taught the. natives to withdraw that refpeû•
from them, and fometimes to treat them with indignity. They differ
very much fronfothe ;.Chepewya©s aadiRnifteneaux, in the abhorrence
they prefefe of any carnal eomoemiieaïfopïbet'weeri theirwoÉiên .and the
■ white people. They carry their love rof gaming to exeefsj they will
purfue it for a fucceffion of days and pjghts, and no apprehenfion pf
■ rain,, nor influence of domeftic affeftion, will reftrain- them from the
indulgence of it, - They are; a quick, lively, aâivçî peopfe, with a keen,
-penetrating, dark eye.*, and though they am very fofeeptible of anger,
:are as eaffly appealed* The males eradicate their, beards, and the females
their hair in every part,'except their heads, where it is, hrong and black,
and without a. curl. There are many old men among them, but they are
in general ignorant of,-the fpace in which they have been inhabitants o f
•the earth,though one of them told me that he recolleSêd-.fixty winters.,
. An Indian >in fome meafure explained his age to me, by relating that
he