124 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUIE. 



was generally taken good care of, well fed and well clothed, so as to 

 command a higher price in the bachelor's market. Now tl)at her 

 fate is sealed, she mnst be the real factotum of the household. 



And well might she consider hei\self enjoying a holiday life, even 

 though very busy, when at her new home ; but it is chiefly when 

 travelling that life must become rather burdensome to her. Then 

 her lot is to pack all the family impedimenta, while her husband, 

 gun in hand, gaily precedes her on the way trying to have an occasion- 

 al shot at game to diversify the menu of the evening meal. However, 

 let us not ))ity her beyond measure, for as she never knew or e\en 

 dreamt of a bettei- fate she does not murmur herself, neither does she 

 ever complain of her husband's ungallaiit conduct. Besides, her 

 ability for this kind of labor has been developed from childhood, f^nce 

 among the natives even the little ones are trained to carry some of 

 the family goods and chattels. 



Her ca})acity for carrying heavy burdens lies in her ability to pre- 

 serve an accurate balancing of the load rather than in any great 

 muscular strength. The pack rests on the back, between the shoulders, 

 su]>ported by a leather line which passes in a broad band across the 

 forehead and is secured by the ends of the line being tied across the 

 chest. 



It would however, be wrong to conclude that her daily toil is cjver 

 when at dusk the coui)le stop for the purpose of camping. Then all 

 the work in the way of gathering firewood, erecting the temporary 

 lodge, cooking, etc., must be attended to by her, the man's duties and 

 attributes among the D^n^s, when in theii' primitive state, being rt^- 

 stricted to hunting, eating and sleeping 



One must not howevei', infer from this that her lot was such that 

 she had absolutely no influence either in the family or the village 

 circles. Oftentimes the woman did exercise much influence, but then 

 it was not owing to her position as wife or mother, but generally on 

 account of her birth and her father's rank. Her marriage conferred 

 no right or privileges upon her, nor did it give her any claim to her 

 husband's personal or landed property. Man and wife were nevci- 

 regai'ded as a moral unit, as customary among us; but just in the 



