248 THE GREAT DENE RACE.

but rather more seldom, the woman was possessed of a sufficient amount of
will and nerve to prefer being the sole wife of a young hunter of no note
to occupying the fourth or fifth place in the affections of a leader.

Among the Carriers and the Babines, the process was more tedious and
marked by a somewhat wise slowness. According to their etiquette, the intended
wife was never consulted; but when a youth of a different clan had singled
her out, he would install himself in the home of her mother or of her
maternal uncle, and set upon acting as the assiduous servant or co-worker
of both, accompanying the girl’s father or uncle in his hunts, and presenting
him with anything of value that might occasionally come into his possession.
Meantime, he would not as much as hint at the reason of such liberality,
which was, however, easily guessed.

When, after two or three years wooing of his prospective bride’s re-
latives, he thought a well deserved “yes” was likely to reward his perseverance,
he would beg for her from her uncle, or next of kin, through the instrumentality
of an obliging friend. If agreeable, the parents would direct their daughter to
spread the blanket of “her husband” in a corner of the communal house.
This first mention of a husband sanctioned a union concerning which no
thought had ever been given to her personal inclinations.

If not accepted, the suitor was generally told in due time to desist from
his officiousness and return to his own home. If for any reason his advances
were refused after his services had been accepted and his gifts received for
a period of time, the recipient of his bounties was in honour bound to com-
pensate him therefor.

Needless to add that, with that system in vogue, early marriages were
the exceptions, and divorces were also less frequent, as the prospect of
having to commence again such a prolonged courtship acted as a powerful
deterrent against hasty separations. Hence it was that the maiden had to wear
the “virginal veil” for quite a few years.

If the girl was well born, rather than humiliate her parents by implying
that they had been guilty of selfishness or that they had been unfortunate
in their choice, she would put up with many wrongs and much cruel treatment
at the hands of her spouse. As a rule, so lowly is the opinion that most
Déné women have of their own sex and so submissive do they prove to
their husbands, that it often happens that a union which was originally entered
into with the greatest repugnance gradually becomes acceptable, and even
finally enjoyable. Should, however, the alliance turn out an unbearable burden
to the poor woman, to your reproaches that she should have spoken her
mind before it was too late, she will answer sotto voce, as many have done
to me: “What could I do? I am but a woman, and it was my duty to obey
my parents,”