OF THE POLAR SEA. 105 
indeed, the Indian character seems to differ from 
the European, that an Indian, instead of letting 
his anger increase with that of his antagonist, 
assumes the utmost coolness, lest he should push 
him to extremities. . 
Although adultery is sometimes punished 
amongst the Crees in the manner above de- 
scribed, yet it is no crime, provided the husband 
receives a valuable consideration for his wife’s 
prostitution. Neither is chastity considered asa 
virtue in a female before marriage,that is, before 
she becomes the exclusive property of one hunter. 
The Cree women are not in general treated 
harshly by their husbands, and possess consider- 
able influence over them. They often eat, and 
even get drunk, in consort with the men ; a con- 
siderable portion of the labour, however falls to 
the lot of the wife. She makes the hut, cooks, 
dresses the skins, and for the most part, carries 
the heaviest load : but, when she is unable to per- 
form her task, the husband does not consider it 
beneath his dignity to assist her. In illustration 
of this remark, I may quote the case of an Indian 
who visited the fort in winter. This poor man’s 
wife had lost her feet by the frost, and he was 
compelled, not only to hunt, and do all the menial 
offices himself, but in winter to drag his wife 
