168 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



remarked, I do not know with what truth, 

 that half-breeds show more personal courage 

 than the pure Crees.* 



The girls at the forts, particularly the 

 daughters of Canadians, are given in mar- 

 riage very young, they are very frequently 

 wives at twelve years of age, and mothers 

 at fourteen. Nay, more than one instance 

 came under our observation of the master 

 of a post having permitted a voyager to take 

 to wife a poor child that had scarcely attained 

 the age of ten years. The masters of posts 

 and wintering partners of the Companies 

 deemed this criminal indulgence to the vices 

 of their servants necessary, to stimulate them 

 to exertion for the interest of their respec- 

 tive concerns. Another practice may also 



* A singular change takes place in the physical 

 constitution of the Indian females who become inmates 

 of a fort ; namely, they bear children more frequently 

 and longer, but, at the same time, are rendered liable 

 to indurations of the mammae and prolapsus of the 

 uterus ; evils from which they are, in a great measure, 

 exempt whilst they lead a wandering and laborious 

 life. 



