NORTHERN OCEAN. 
It is not furprifing that a plurality of wives is 
12 
197. 
all 
2 
cuftomary among thefe people, as it is fo well as 
adapted to their fituation and manner of life. In 
my opinion no race of people under the Sun have 
a greater occafion for fuchanindulgence. Their 
annual haunts, in queft of furrs, is fo remote 
from any European fettlement, as to render them 
_ the greateft travellers in the known world; and 
as they have neither horfe nor water carriage, 
every good hunter is under the neceflity of hav- 
ing feveral perfons to aflift in carrying his furrs 
to the Company’s Fort, as well as carrying back 
the European goods which he receives in exchange 
for them. No perfons in this country are fo pro- 
per for this work as the women, becaufe they are 
inured to carry and haul heavy loads from their 
childhood, and to do all manner of drudgery; 
{fo that thofe men who are capable of providing 
for three, four, five, fix, or more women, gene- 
rally find them humble and faithful fervants, af- 
_ feétionate wives, and fond and indulgent mo- 
thers to their children. Though cuftom makes 
this way of life fit-apparently eafy on the genera- 
lity of the women, and though, in general, the 
whole of their wants feem to be comprized in 
food and clothing only, yet nature at times gets 
the better of cuftom, and the fpirit of jealoufy 
makes its appearance among them : however, as 
the hufband is always arbitrator, he foon fettles 
the bufinefs, though perhaps not always to the 
entire fatisfaction of the parties, 
Much 
