132 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



with that of his antagonist, assumes the 

 utmost coolness, lest he should push him to 

 extremities. 



Although adultery is sometimes punished 

 amongst the Crees in the manner above de- 

 scribed, yet it is no crime, provided the 

 husband receives a valuable consideration 

 for his wife's prostitution. Neither is chas- 

 tity considered as a virtue in a female before 

 marriage, that is, before she becomes the 

 exclusive property of one hunter. 



The Cree women are not in general 

 treated harshly by their husbands, and 

 possess considerable influence over them. 

 They often eat, and even get drunk, in 

 consort with the men ; a considerable por- 

 tion of the labour, however, falls to the lot 

 of the wife. She makes the hut, cooks, 

 dresses the skins, and, for the most part, 

 carries the heaviest load ; but, when she is 

 unable to perform her task, the husband 

 does not consider it beneath his dignity to 

 assist her. In illustration of this remark, I 

 may quote the case of an Indian who visited 

 the fort in winter. This poor man's wife 



