HISTORY OF VERMONT. 181 



himself, and having ever before him pursuits^ 

 which to him are of the highest importance, the 

 savage becomes extremely grave and serious- 

 Every thing in his appearance and behaviour, is 

 marked with this gravity of aspect. His be- 

 haviour to those around him, is decent and 

 modest. His words are few and significant, and 

 generally upon some matter of business ; scarce- 

 ly ever for merriment or divcrsiouo So great is 

 their habit of gravity, seriousness, and silence j 

 that it rather bears the appearance of melancholy 

 and sadness. 



Treatment of Women. A promiscuous 

 intercourse between the sexes, scarcely ever 

 took place among the human race. The rela- 

 tion of husband and wife, has been every where 

 understood, adopted, and acknowledged ; and 

 this was universally the case among all the 

 tribes of the American Indians. Where the 

 difficulty of procuring subsistence was not easi- 

 ly to be removed, the man had generally but 

 one v/ife* Where the means of subsistence 

 were in great plenty, and easily to be attained^ 

 the savage had often a plurality of wives. But 

 in general, the Indian family consisted of one 

 man and woman, and their children. This un- 

 ion generally subsisted during the lives of the 

 parties ; but if it became a matter of choice to 

 separate, the marriage union was dissoived, and 

 no cause or ceremony was rtccessary, but choice 

 and consent. It is5 not until the refinements o£ 

 society have taken place, that women acquire 

 the rank, consequence, and importance, to 

 which they are so justly entitled. To despise, 

 to degrade, and to abuse them, has been the 



TOL. I. Y 



