Chap. X. FRANKLIN AND RICHARDSON'S JOURNEY. 341 



In such a mode of life, in such a country, and in 

 such society, it would be too much to expect a state 

 of refinement, or of moral purity, even in females 

 of the better part of the community, especially when 

 the male portion of it is so debased. 



" The girls at the forts, particularly the daughters of 

 Canadians, are given in marriage very young ; they are 

 very frequently wives at twelve years of age, and mothers at 

 fourteen. Nay, more than one instance came under our 

 observation of the master of a post having permitted a 

 voyager to take to wife a poor child that had scarcely at- 

 tained the age of ten years. The masters of posts and 

 wintering partners of companies deemed this criminal in- 

 dulgence to the vices of their servants necessary to stimulate 

 them to exertion for the interest of their respective concerns. 

 Another practice may also be noticed, as showing the state 

 of moral feeling on these subjects amongst the white resi- 

 dents of the fur countries. It was not very uncommon, 

 amongst the Canadian voyagers, for one woman to be com- 

 mon to, and maintained at the joint expense of, two men ; 

 nor for a voyager to sell his wife, either for a season or 

 altogether, for a sum of money proportioned to her beauty 

 and good qualities, but always inferior to the price of a team 

 of dogs."— p. 86. 



The products of this part of the country are 

 noticed by Dr. Richardson. Of vegetables he 

 mentions two species of poplar ; two species of 

 spruce fir, three other pines, one larch, the canoe- 

 birch, alder, and various willows ; the sugar maple, 

 elm, ash, and abor vitce (Thuya occidentalis). Of 

 fruits are two species of plums, one very astringent 

 is known by the name of choke-cherry. Cur- 



