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which probably is to be underftood of thofe, who 

 have -no-body left to render them thefe fervices, 

 and who by reafon of their age or infirmities are 

 incapable of ferving themfelves. 



Be this as it will, the bridegroom has alfo his 

 own peculiar functions •, befides hunting and riming, 

 to which he is obliged during the whole courfe of 

 his life, he is flrft of all to make a mattrefs for 

 his wife, build her a cabbin, or repair that in 

 which they are to Jive, and whilft he remains with 

 his father and mother-in-law, he is obliged to 

 carry the product of his hunting home to them. 

 Amongft the Iroquois the woman never leaves her 

 cabbin, me being deemed the miftrefs, or leaft the 

 heirefs of it ; in other nations me goes at the ex- 

 piration of a year or two after her marriage, to 

 live with her mother-in-law. 



The Indian women are generally delivered with- 

 out pain, and without any affiftance ; there are 

 fome however who are a long time in labour and 

 furler feverely •, when this happens they acquaint 

 the young people of it, who when the fiek perfon 

 is leafl: thinking of it, come fhouting in a prodi- 

 gious manner to the door of her cabbin, when the 

 furprize occafions a fudden fright, which procures 

 her an immediate delivery ; the women always lie 

 in their own cabbins feveral of them are furprized 

 and bring forth at work or on the road ; for others 

 as foon as they perceive themfelves near their time, 

 a fmali hut is built without the village, where 

 they remain till forty days after they are brought 

 to bed i I think I remember however to have 

 heard it faid, that this is never done except at 

 their firft lying-in only, 



This 



