98 



Harmon's journal, 



women buried her corpse,-; jand no more notice 

 is taken of her death, than if a dog had been 

 killed ; for her relations are at a considerable 

 distance, in another part of the country. — An In- 

 dian is not much regarded or feared by his 

 fellows, unless he has a number of relations to 

 take part with him in his contests while in life, 

 or to avenge his death, in case he should be 

 murdered. This is true among all the Indian 

 tribes, with which I have been acquainted. 



Wednesday, 11. On the ninth instant, a Chief 

 among the Crees, came to the fort, accompanied 

 by a number of his relations, who appeared very 

 desirous that I should take one of his daughters, 

 to remain with me. I put him off by telling 

 him, that I could not then accept of a woman, 

 but probably might, in the fall. He pressed me 

 however, to allow her to remain with me, at 

 once, and added, "1 am fond of you, and my wish 

 is to have my daughter with the white people ; 

 for she will be treated better by them, than by 

 her own relations." In fact, he almost persuaded 

 me to keep her ; for I was sure .that while I had 

 the daughter, I '.should not only have the father's 

 ffors, but those"* of all his band. This would be 

 for the interest of the Company, and would there- 

 fore, turn to my own advantage, in some meas- 

 ure; so that a regard to interest, well nigh made 



