252 Expedition to the ^ 



mother, and their father's sister aunt. The same relative 

 designations extend to the step-parents, relatives, and to those 

 of the grand parents. The children of brothers and sisters 

 address each other by the titles of brother and sister. Step- 

 parents treat their step-children with as much kindness and 

 attention as their own ; and a stranger in the family would 

 not perceive any partiality shown to the latter ; indeed the 

 natural parent exacts such a course of conduct from the 

 other, and a separation would probably ensue, from an op- 

 posite course being obstinately persevered in, as a parent, 

 will, on no account, suffer his or her offspring to be abused. 



Natural children are generally retained by the mother ; 

 but if she is willing to part with them, or at her death, they 

 are received into the family of the father, where they expe- 

 rience the same kindness and attention as his other children ; 

 but an Indian will consider himself insulted, if he is told that 

 he had no proper father or mother. 



Some mothers of natural children will not permit them to 

 visit the father, while she can control them ; they generally 

 remain with the mother, and support her. 



A man applies the title of VVe-hun-guh, or sister-in-law, 

 to his wife's sister, until he takes her as his wife ; he also 

 calls his wife's brother's daughter Wehunguh, and may in 

 like manner take her to wife ; thus the aunt and the niece 

 marry the same man. 



A man distinguishes his wife's brother by the title of Ta- 

 hong or brother-in-law, and his son also by the same desig- 

 nation. He calls the wife of his brother-in-law Cong-ha, or 

 mother-in-law. 



A woman calls her husband's brother Wish-e-a, or brother- 

 in-law, and speaks of his children as her own. Her husband's 

 sister she distinguishes by the title of relationship, Wish-e- 

 cong, or sister-in law. Men who marry sisters address each 

 other by the title of brother. All women who marry the 



