OF THE POLAR SEA. 



115 



Hudson's Bay, or disposed of them nearer 

 home to the French Canadian traders, who 

 visited this part of the country as early as 

 the year 1697. 



The Cumberland House district, extend- 

 ing about one hundred and fifty miles from 

 east to west along the banks of the Saskat- 

 chawan, and about as far from north to 

 south, comprehends, on a rough calculation, 

 upwards of twenty thousand square miles, 

 and is frequented at present by about one 

 hundred and twenty Indian hunters. Of 

 these a few have several wives, but the ma- 

 jority only one ; and, as some are unmarried, 

 we shall not err greatly in considering the 

 number of married women as only slightly 

 exceeding that of the hunters. The women 

 marry very young, have a custom of suck- 

 ling their children for several years, and are 

 besides exposed constantly to fatigue and 

 often to famine ; hence they are not prolific, 

 bearing upon an average not more than four 

 children, of whom two may attain the age 

 of puberty. Upon these data the amount 

 of each family may be stated at five, and 

 i 2 



