124 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



was generally taken good care of, well fed and well clothed, so as to 

 comniMnd a higher {)rice in the bachelor's niiiiket. Now that her 

 fate is sealed, she must he the real factotum of the household. 



And well might she consiiler herself enjoying a holiday life, even 

 though very busy, when at her new home ; but it is chieHy when 

 travelling that life must become rather burdensome^ to her. Then 

 her lot is to pack all the family im])edimenta, while her husband, 

 gun in hand, gaily precedes heron the way trying to have an occasion- 

 al shot at game to diversify the menu of tlie evening meal. However, 

 let us not pity In-r beyond measure, for as she nevci- knew or even 

 dreamt of a better fate she does not murmur herself, neither does she 

 ever complain of her husband's ungallaut conduct. Besides, her 

 ability for this kind of labor has been developed from childhood, since 

 among the natives even the little ones are ti-ained to carry some of 

 the I'amily goods and chattels. 



Her capacity for carrying heavy burdens lies in her ability to lire- 

 serve an accurate balancing of the load rather than in any great 

 muscular strength. The pack rests on the back, between the shoulders, 

 supported by a leather line which passes in a broad band across tlie 

 forehead and is secui'ed by the ends of the line being tied across the 

 chest. 



It would however, be wrong to conclude that her daily toil is over 

 when at dusk the couple stop for the pui'po.se of camping. Then all 

 the woik in the. way of gathering firewood, erecting the temporary 

 lodge, cooking, etc., must be attended to by her, the man's duties and 

 attributes among the Den^s, when in their primitive state, being re- 

 stricted to hunting, eating and sleejiing 



One must not however, infer from this that her lot was such that 

 she had absolutely no influence either in the family or the village 

 circles. Oftentimes the woman did exercise much influence, but then 

 it was not owing to hei- position as wife or mother, but generally on 

 account of her birth and her father's rank. Her marriage confei-red 

 no right or privileges upon her, nor did it give her any claim to her 

 husband's personal or landed piopei'ty. Man and wife were never 

 regarded as a moral unit, as crtstomary among us; but just in the 



