248 Expedition to the 



the river shore, she paddled over to the opposite side and 

 made her escape into the forest, with her child. The night 

 was cold and attended with a fall of snow and hail. Reflect- 

 ing upon her disconsolate condition, she resolved to return 

 again in the morning, and with the feelings of a wife and 

 a mother to plead her cause before the arbiter of her fate, 

 and endeavour to mitigate the cruel sentence. 



Agreeably to this determination she once more approach- 

 ed him, upon whom she believed she had claims paramount 

 to those of any other individual. " Here is our child," said 

 she, " I do not question your fondness for him, but he is 

 still more dear to me. You say that you will keep him for 

 yourself, and drive me far from you. But no, I will remain 

 with him ; I can find some hole or corner into which I may 

 creep, in order to be near him and sometimes to see him. 

 If you will not give me food, I will, nevertheless, remain 

 until I starve before your eyes." 



The trader then offered her a considerable present, desir- 

 ing her at the same time to go, and leave the child. But she 

 said, " is my child a dog, that I should sell him for mer- 

 chandize? You cannot drive me away ; you may beat me, 

 it is true, and otherwise abuse me, but I will still remain. 

 When you married me, you promised to use me kindly, as 

 long as I should be faithful to you ; that I have been so, no 

 one can deny. Ours was not a marriage contracted for a 

 season, it was to terminate only with our lives. I was then 

 a young girl, and might have been united to an Omaw- 

 haw chief, but I am now an old woman; having had two 

 children, and what Omawhaw will regard me? Is not my 

 right paramount to that of your other wife ; she had heard 

 of me before you possessed her. It is true her skin is whiter 

 than mine, but her heart cannot be more pure towards you, 

 nor her fidelity more rigid. Do not take the child from my 

 breast, I cannot bear to hear it cry, and not be present to 



