lawson's history 63 



tlie more wliorrisli, tlie more honorable, and they 

 of all most coveted by those of the first rank to 

 make wives of. The Flos Virginis, so much cov- 

 eted by the Europeans, is never valued by these 

 savages. 



^AHien a man and woman have gone through their 

 degrees, (there being a certain graduation amongst 

 them,) and are allowed to be house keepers, which 

 is not till they arrive at such an age, and have pass- 

 ed the ceremonies practiced by their nation, al- 

 most all kingdoms differing in the progress there- 

 of, then it is that the man makes his address to 

 some one of these thoroughpaced girls or other, 

 whom he likes best. When she is won the parents 

 of both parties (with advice of the king) agree 

 about the matter, making a promise of their daugh- 

 ter to the man that requires her, it often happen- 

 ing that they converse and travel together for sev- 

 eral moons before the marriage is published open- 

 ly. After this, at the least dislike, the man may 

 turn her away, and take another ; or if she disap- 

 proves of his company, a price is set upon her, 

 and if the man that seeks to get her, will pay the 

 fine to her husband, she becomes free from him ; 

 likewise, some of their war captains, and great 

 men, very often will retain three or four girls at a 

 time for their own use, when at the same time 

 he is so impotent and old, as to be incapable 

 of making use of one of them, so that he seldom 

 misses of wearing greater horns than the game he 

 kills. The husband is never so enraged as to put 



