M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Say. 57 



The Indian women are remarkably attached to their young 

 charge,* watching over them with the greatest affection and 

 tenderness ; and, should they die, lamenting their loss in the 

 most affecting mariner. Even for several months after their 

 decease they visit their little graves; and shed over them some 

 very bitter tears. From their infant state they endeavour to 

 promote an independent spirit in their offspring; they are 

 never known either to beat or scold them, lest the martial 

 disposition which is to adorn their future life and character 

 should be weakened; On all occasions they avoid every thing 

 compulsive, that the freedom with which they wish them to 

 act may not be controlled; They instruct them in lessons of 

 patience! and fortitude, and endeavour to inspire them with 

 courage in war, and a contempt of danger and death ; above 

 all things, they endeavour to instil into their minds an here- 

 ditary hatred and implacable thirst of revenge towards the 

 Esquimeaux. 



The North American Indians, in general, have five or six 

 wives. Indeed, this is frequently the only mark of distinction 

 amongst them, that man being most respected who is best able 

 to support the greatest number of women. Thus Matonnabee, 

 an Indian chie who conducted Mr. Hearne up Coppermine 

 River, had eight of them. Their names are generally taken 

 from some part or property of a beaver, martin, or other ani- 

 mal. When they wish to take a wife, and that they find one 

 to their mind, the Indian applies to the father of the girl, and 

 asks his consent in the following words : 



** Nocey, Gunner kee darmissey kee darniss nee zargay* 



* A singular instance of this occurred during Mr. Ellis's residence at 

 York Fort. Two small canoes passing Hayes's River, when they had got 

 to the middle of it, one of them, which was made of the bark of a birch-tree, 

 sunk, in which was an Indian, his t wife, and child. The other canoe being 

 small, and incapable of receiving more than one of the parents and the child, 

 produced a very extraordinary contest between the man and his wife, not 

 but that both of them were willing to devote themselves to save the other ; 

 but that the difficulty lay in determining which would be the greatest loss to 

 the child. The man used many arguments to prove it more reasonable that 

 he should be drowned than the woman. But she alledged, on the contrary, 

 it was more far the advantage of the child that she should perish, because he, 

 as a man, was better able to hunt, and consequently to provide for it. The 

 little time there was still remaining was spent in mutual expressions of ten- 

 derness, the woman strongly recommending, as for the last time, to her hus- 

 band, the care of her child. This being done, they took leave in the water; 

 the woman quitting the canoe was drowned, and the man with the child got 

 safe ashore, and is now taken much notice of by the people thereabouts. 



See Ellis's Voyage to Hudson's Say, p, 88. 



VOYAGES and TRAVELS, No. 2. VoL II. I 



