NORTHERN OCEAN. 
it was often very unpleafant to me, to fee the ob- 
107 
Chae 
_ ject of the conteft fitting in penfive filence watch. ——~ 
ing her fate, while her hufband and his rival were 
contending for the prize. I have indeed not only 
felt pity for thofe poor wretched vitims, but the 
utmoft indignation, when I have feen them won, 
perhaps, by aman whom they mortally hated. 
On thofe occafions their grief and reluctance to 
follow their new lord has been fo great, that the 
bufinefs has often ended in the greateft brutality ; 
for, in the ftruggle, Ihave feen the poor girls 
| ftripped quite naked, and carried by main force to 
| their.new lodgings. At other times it was plea- 
| fant enough to fee a fine girl led off the field from 
a hufband the difliked, with a tear in one eye and 
a finger on the other: for cuftom, or delicacy if 
you pleafe, has taught them to think it neceflary 
to whimper a little, let the change be ever fo 
much to their inclination. I have throughout this 
account given the women the appellation of girls, 
which is pretty applicable, as the objects of con- 
teft are generally young, and without any family: 
| few of the men chufe to be at the trouble of main- 
taining other people’s children, except on particu- 
lar occafions, which will be taken notice of here- 
after. 3 
Some of the old men, who are famous on ac- 
count of their fuppofed {kill in conjuration, have 
jgreat influence in perfuading the rabble from 
committing thofe outrages; but the humanity of 
thefe fages is feldom known to extend beyond 
their 
: 
te i 
May. 
