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CHAPTER XXVI. 



SOCIAL LIFE. 



THE life of an Indian woman is a round of wearisome 

 labour. Her marriage is only an exchange of masters. 

 The pride of a good wife is in permitting her husband to 

 do nothing for himself. She cooks his food, makes or 

 mends his clothing, dresses skins, dries meat, goes after 

 and saddles his horse. When making a journey, she 

 strikes the lodge, packs the animals, and superintends the 

 march. On arriving at the camping place she unpacks the 

 animals, pitches the lodge, makes the beds, brings wood 

 and water, and does everything that ought to be done, 

 hardly permitting her lord and master to unsaddle his 

 own horse. 



What she gets in exchange for all this devotion it is 

 impossible to say. Whether from ignorance of any better 

 fate, or from constant occupation, certain it is that a 

 happier or more contented woman cannot be found, 

 And yet she is more absolutely a slave than any negro 

 before the war of the rebellion, for not only may her 

 person, but her virtue, be sold by her husband to any one 

 who will buy it. 



Polygamy seems to be natural ; at least it is a custom 

 of all primitive or natural people. Each red man has as 

 many wives as his inclination prompts or his wealth 

 allows. Indeed, his wives are like gamblers' diamonds, to 

 be accumulated in times of prosperity, as a sure revenue 

 when disaster shall overtake him. In spite of all this, the 

 women' are not without their weight and influence in all 



