Though I was not fuffered to enter 

 their wigwams, they would find oppor- 

 tunities of throwing in my way fuch 

 fcraps as they could fecrete from their 

 hufbands. The obligation I was under 

 to them on this account is great, as the 

 hazard they ran in conferring thefe fa- 

 vours was little lefs than death. The 

 men, unreftrained by any laws or ties of 

 confcience, in the management of their 

 own families, exercife a moil defpotic 

 authority over their wives, whom they 

 confider in the fame view they do any 

 other part of their property, and difpofe 

 of them accordingly : even their com- 

 mon treatment of them is cruel ; for 

 though the toil and hazard of procuring 

 food lies entirely upon the women, yet 

 they are not fuffered to touch any part 

 of it till the hufband is fatisfied ; and 

 then he affigns them their portion, 

 which is generally very fcanty, and fuch 

 as he has not a ftomach for himfelf. 

 6 This 



