128 Expedition to the 



the mid-leg ; around the left shoulder is a similar piece of 

 cloth, which is attached, by two of the corners, at the axilla 

 of the right arm and extends downward as far as the waist. 

 This garment is often laid aside, when the body, from the 

 waist upward, is entirely exposed. Their hair is suffered to 

 grow long ; it is parted longitudinally on the top of the head, 

 and flows over the shoulders, the line of separation being 

 coloured with vermillion. The females, like those of other 

 aborigines, cultivate the maize, beans, pumpkins, and water- 

 melons, gather and prepare the two former, when ripe, and 

 pack them away in skins, or in mats, for keeping ; prepare 

 the flesh of the bison, by drying, for preservation ; attend 

 to all the cooking j bring wood and water ; an d in other respects 

 manage the domestic concerns, and appear to have over them 

 absolute sway. These duties, as far as we could observe, 

 they not only willingly performed as a mere matter of duty, 

 but they exhibited in their deportment a degree of pride and 

 ambition to acquit themselves well ; in this respect resemb- 

 ling a good housewife amongst the civilized fair. Many of 

 them are tattooed. 



** Both sexes, of all ages, bathe frequently, and enter the 

 water indiscriminately. The infant is washed in cold water 

 soon after its birth, and the ablution is frequently repeated ; 

 the mother also bathes with the same fluid soon after delive- 

 ry. The infant is tied down to a board, after the manner of 

 many of the Indian tribes. 



" The chastity of the young females is guarded by the 

 mother with the most scrupulous watchfulness, and a viola- 

 tion of it is a rare occurrence, as it renders the individual 

 unfit for the wife of a chief, a brave warrior, or good hunter. 

 To wed her daughter to one of these, each mother is solici- 

 tous ; as these qualifications offer the same attractions to the 

 Indian mother as family and fortune exhibit to the civilized 

 parent. In the nation, however, are several courtezans; and 

 during our evening walks we were sure to meet with re- 



