The dre& of the women differs from that of the men. Their
foggins are tied below the knee;. and their coat oT ftift i$ wide,
hanging down to the ancle, and is tucked up at pleafure by means
of a belt, which is faltened' round the- waili. Thofe r.who have
children. have,-thefe garments" made very full about the feoulders, as
when they are travelling they carry, their infants upon- their backs,
next their {kin, in which fituation.they are .perfectly comfortable arid in
a pofition convenient to be fuckled. Nor do’tithfiy difeontin u e to
their milk to them tillitheyhave another cbiidr ChilH-hirthis snötthè
obje& dF that tender care and ferious as it
is amongWiltfed people. At this period' rfö^aimf &ÈÉrfefeaibi&etfi
pation is omitted, and this continual--and'regular ex ©rGifefmüft'contribute
to the welfare eff the Mother/ both in=the pr^refelof^at’turiiioa:
and in. the moment ©f delivery. The Momen have a Tta^ulartatiftcdn of
catting off a final! piece o f the navel fbring qf themeW*tór(teliildieto,
pnd hang it about their necks : they are alfo cnriousin the'eoferifegthey
make for it, which they decorate with pcwxxipioe’s quills jand beads, |g|
Though the women are as much in the power o f tpe men, as any
other articles of their property, they ,are always tqonfulted^ and, poffels. a
expöfêd to the fijp, ind fometimes to the froft. Thefe operations dry it, and in tl^atdjate it is pounded
betwCejp two iftrfnesit will then keep with' care for fo e ta l "years;; _ K kept In large
Quantities, it is difyofed. to ferment in the fprmg o f the year, when it Iiiulfbe to -i/e’X y M 'ft
wHl foon decay. Thè-infide fat, and that o f the rump, wfcich is much thicker in thefe wild than out
domeftic animals, is melted down and mixeSjiri'a bóiling^atéj -with'thfe poupde'd yititj in’ /«{iial.pfo*
portions: it is .then put m^Bslkets' or bags for the convenience 'ö f ‘'’cafrying it. Thus it beco'mes'a |
nutritious food, and is eaten, without any further preparation,' or the addition of fpice, -faltj. oy any
vegetable or farinaceous-■ fubftance. A little time reconciles i t to the palate. There is SnQth^grt
made with -thé addition o f m a n bw jp l dried berries, which is o f a fuperior am^ty. "
very
very, confiderable influence in the ^.traffic with Europeans, and other
important cohcerns.
•Plurality o f wives is common among them, and the ceremony o f marriage
is of a. iVery fimple nature. . The girls are betrothed at a very
early period to thofe whom the parents think the beft able to fupport
them: nof ; isthê iftclifl'ätiönöf'the wotfikfi cÖflfitlëï'edT' Whenever a
fëparatiön takes, place, which fometimes happens,. it depends entirely
on the will and pleafure of the hulband. In common with the Other
Indians of this'.country, they have a cullom rcfpeäing the- periodical
hate o f a w o m a n , which is^rigoronfly obferved: at that time Ihc mult
feélndé hiftelf froth focietyi qThey ‘sfcë nöt eveft showed lnfhkt fhua-
tion to keep' the fame path a§ the men, when travelling: and ft' ft
conftdèïêd a greät breach of decency for a woman fohirèumftanced to
touch any utenfils of manly Occupation. Such a circumftartCè is Tup-
pöféd to defile them, fo that their fubfequent ufè Would be followed
by certain mifchfef or misförtörie. Thebi ate pä*tfcüter {kins which thè
women never touch, as of the bear and wolf; and thofe' animals the
men are feldom known to kill.
They are not remarkable for their activity as hunters, which’is owing
to the eafe with which they fnare deer ^pd fpear fifh : and thefe occupations
are not beyond the ftfength of their old mén', women/ah <3 böyä: fo
that they participate in thofe laborioüs occupations, which ariiorig their
neighbours;? are confined to the women. They make War on the Efqüi-
maux, w fe cannot:refill their fuperior numbers, and put them to death,
as ft is a principle with them never to make prifonersV At the fame
q 2 , ’ , ’ time