182 



harmok's journal. 



to the fort, and there weeps, and sings a mournful 

 kind of song, of which the following is a transla- 

 tion. " My dear son, come to me ! why do you 

 leave me, my son?" This she repeats for two 

 hours together, in the most plaintive and melan- 

 choly tone imaginable. 



It is customary for the women, among the 

 Beaver Indians, when they lose a near relation, to 

 cut off a joint of one of their fingers ; and, in con- 

 sequence of so barbarous a custom, we frequently 

 see some of their aged women, who want the first 

 two joints of every finger, on both hands. The 

 men content themselves, on such occasions, by cut- 

 ting off their hair, close to their heads, and by 

 scratching or cutting their faces and arms, fre- 

 quently in a most barbarous and shocking manner. 



The Beaver Indians are a peaceable and quiet 

 people, and, perhaps, the most honest of any, on 

 the face of the earth. Theft is rarely committed 

 among them ; and when one of their tribe is 

 known to have stolen, he is regarded with a de- 

 testation, like that which follows a highwayman 

 in civilized countries. 



Formerly, their clothing was-' made of the 

 skins of the buffaloe, moose, and red deer, and 

 their arms were bows and arrows ; but the great- 

 er part of them, are now clothed with European 

 goods, and are supplied with fire arms. They 



