52 JM'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 



Those situated about the factory boil their victuals in tin 

 or copper vessels, which they procure in exchange for furs. 

 Those at a distance from it are, however, obliged to substi- 

 tute vessels made of the bark of the birch-tree, sewed together 

 with some vegetable fibre, As they will not bear exposure to 

 the fire sufficient to bring water to a boiling temperature, 

 they are obliged to have recourse to the following contriv- 

 ance ; they take some large stones, and place them in the 

 centre of the fire until they are red-hot ; they then take them 

 out, and plunge them into the birch-rind vessel. By conti- 

 nuing this process for some time, the water is soon brought to 

 a state of ebullition. The food, however, when dressed in 

 this way, is generally mixed with sand, or small particles of 

 gravel. 



The care of their tents is consigned entirely to the women ; 

 as is, indeed, all the drudgery of an Indian life. They are 

 obliged, while travelling, to pitch their tents, dress their vic- 

 tuals, make and repair every article of dress. In short, the 

 moment she becomes a wife she loses her liberty, and is an 

 obsequious slave to her husband, who takes good care never 

 to lose sight of his prerogative, Wherever he goes she must 

 follow, and durst not venture to incense him by a refusal, 

 knowing that if she neglects him, extreme punishment, if not 

 death, ensues. Notwithstanding all this, they are generally 

 found humble and faithful servants,* tender and affectionate 

 wives, fond and indulgent parents, I have frequently gone 

 into their tents, and have sat for hours delighted and amused 

 with their modest unassuming manners, and simple habits of 

 humble industry, On going in, they always offered me some 

 dried buffaloe-tongue, or perhaps some pimmicum,t an article 



* In every part of the world, one of the most general characteristics of 

 the savage is to despise and degrade the female sex. Among most of tlip 

 tribes in America, their condition is so peculiarly grievous, that servitude is 

 a name too mild to describe their wretched state ; a wife is no better than a 

 beast of burden. While the man passes his days in idleness or amusement, 

 the woman is condemned to incessant toil. Tasks are imposed upon her 

 without mercy, and services are received without complacence or gratitude. 

 There are some districts in America, where this state of degradation has 

 been so severely felt, that mothers have destroyed their female infants to 

 deliver them at once from a life in which they were doomed to such a miser- 

 able slavery. See MALTHUS on Population. 



f The provision called pimmicum is prepared in the following manner: 

 The lean parts of the flesh of the larger animals are cut in thin slices, and 

 are placed on a wooden grate over a slow fire, or exposed to the sun, and 

 sometimes to the frost. By these operations it is dried, and in that state is 

 pounded between two stones so as to reduce it to a fine powder ; it is then 

 made into cakes, which will keep for almost any length of time. 



