( : s ° ) 



In the fouthern countries they fcarce obferve any 

 fnean with refpect to the women, who are no lefs 

 prone to lafcivioufnefs ; from hence comes that 

 corruption of manners, which has infected the 

 northern nations fome years fince ; the Iroquois in 

 particular had the reputation of chaftity before 

 they had any commerce with the Illinois, and .the 

 other nations in the neighbourhood of Louifiana ; 

 they have gained nothing by the acquaintance ex- 

 cept becoming like them. It muft be confeiled 

 that effeminacy and lubricity were carried to the 

 greater! excefs in thofe parts ; men were feen to 

 wear the drefs of women without a blufti, and to^ 

 debafe themfelves fo as to perform thofe occu- 

 pations which are mofl peculiar to the fex, from 

 whence followed a corruption of morals paft all 

 expreffion ; it was pretended that this cuftom came 

 from I know not what principle of religion but 

 this religion had like many others taken its birth in 

 the depravation of the heart, or if the cuftom I 

 fpeak of had its beginning in the fpirit, it has ended 

 in the flefh ; thefe effeminate perfons never marry, 

 and abandon themfelves to the moft infamous 

 paffions, for which caufe they are held in the moft 

 Sovereign contempt. 



On the other hand the women though ftrong 

 and robuft are far from being fruitful ; befides the 

 reafons I have already mentioned, to wit, the 

 time they allow for the fuckling of their children, 

 their cuftom of not cohabiting with their hufbands 

 all that 'time, and the exceffive labour they are 

 obliged to undergo in whatever fituation they 

 are this fterility proceeds likewife from a cuftom 

 eftablilhed in feveral places, by which young wo- 

 men are fuffered to proftitute themfelves. before 

 marriage j add to this the extreme mifery to which 



they 



