112 TUENER ON THE INDIANS 



wives of the same man. The first wife usually preserves her position of priority, and con- 

 siders that the supplementary wives may be best held in check by herself displaying no 

 jealousy, but acquiescing in the desires of her husband. Jealousy often excites confusion 

 within the narrow confines of the tent; and the promptings of their injured hearts cause 

 them to indulge in hair-pulling and scratching. When matters have got beyond the 

 endurance of the hitherto apathetic lord and master, he rises in his might and administers 

 STuh a sound thrashing to both of them as to insure reverence for masculine strength if 

 not for superior intelligence. It sometimes happens that the woman is the stronger and 

 belabors her husband, much to the delight of the spectators, who do not fail to tease the 

 proud but henpecked red man. An amusing instance of this occurred at Fort Chimo, 

 when the woman tore the tent from the poles, put the affair in the canoe and started iip 

 the river. He followed, begging most piteously until she relented, and he gladly entered 

 the boat, whereupon they hastened to overtake the remainder of the Indians gone before 

 them. They teased him greatly, but he took it in good part, while his wife was in a good 

 humor. 



To secure a wife, the man must be known to have killed a deer or performed some act 

 considered an equivalent of that deed, to enable him to lay a claim to her heart. A suffi- 

 cient amount of presents is usually laid before the parents of the girl and, if accepted, he 

 may take her at once. Her consent is obtained, if possible ; if not, it matters little, for, if 

 the man is determined, he enlists the sympathy of his friends, and they take care that 

 all opposition from the girl is quieted, by force if necessary. 



The women soon lose all pretension to beauty, their household duties being so arduous 

 that wrinkles appear before the person has arriA^ed at the prime of life. "While they are 

 not a prolific people, the number of children is surprising — it being often a difficult 

 matter to cliscoA'er the paternity, and some of the mothers even disclaiming their own 

 children ; usually, however, for the reason that they haA'e surrendered all right and title to 

 someone better able to provide for them. It is ardently hoped that the first-born should 

 be a boy, for in him the father finds an heir, and the mother a protector. The girls are 

 considered little else than objects for the boys to maltreat and torment with all manner of 

 Indian meanness. Pranks of various kinds are constantly played upon the females, who 

 have no power of punishing by beating, but may strip their clothing from the bodies of 

 the men and compel them to appear naked in camp. This is the deepest mortification to 

 which a male can be subjected. 



Dwelling, as they do, in such narrow bounds, and exposed to all manner of weather, 

 it is not strange that many diseases, especially pulmonary and scrofulous troubles, afflict 

 them. They employ no native herbs or remedies for their relief. They resort to their 

 shaman, and in the less dangerous stages they recoA^er, much to his profit and renown. 

 When near the trader, the Naskopie is persistent in his requests for medicine, Avhich must 

 be administered in heroic doses to produce the desired effect ; for if it be not of the most 

 potent character, it is deemed of little benefit. The trader often has as little knowledge of 

 disease and its proper remedy as has the Indian ; but, to be on the safe side, the agent pre- 

 pares some cayenne pepper, tincture of ginger, tincture of iron, or some other equally 

 powerful stuff, and gives it color with a few drops of red ink ; then with elaborate direc- 

 tions, often overwhelming in character, the Indian swallows it with a huge share of faith, 

 and is soon relicA^ed of his distress. 



