CXXIL A GENERAL HISTORY

The drefs of the women differs from that of the men. Their
leggins are tied below the knee; and their coat or fhift is wide,
hanging down to the ancle, and is tucked up at pleafure by means
of a belt, which is faftened round the wailt. Thofe who have
children have thefe garments made very fuil about the fhoulders, as
when they are travelling they carry their infants upon their backs,
next their fkin, in which fituation they are perfectly comfortable and in
a pofition convenient to be fuckled. Nor do they difcontinue to give
their milk to them till they have another child. Child-birth is not the
obje&t of that tender care and ferious attention among the favages as it
is among civilifed people. At this period no part of their ufual occu-
pation is omitted, and this continual and regular exercife muft con-
tribute to the welfare of the mother, both in the progrefs of parturition
and in the moment of delivery. The women have a fingular cuftom.of
cutting off a {mall piece of the navel-ftring of the new-born children,
and hang it about their necks: they are alfo curious in the covering they

make for it, which they decorate with porcupine’s quills and beads,

Though the women are as much in the power of the men, as any

other articles of their property, they are always confulted, and poffefs a

expofed to the fun, and fometimes to the froft. Thefe operations dry it, and in that ftate it is pounded
between two ftones: it will then keep with care for feveral years. If, however, it is Kept in large
quantities, it is difpofed to ferment in the fpring of the year, when it muft be expofed to the air, or it
will foon decay. The infide fat, and that of the rump, which is much thicker in thefe wild than our
domeftic animals, is melted down and mixed, in a boiling flate, with the pounded meat, in equal pro-
portions: it is then put in bafkets or bags for the convenience of carrying it. Thus it becomes a
nutritious food, and is eaten, without any further preparation, or the addition of fpice, falt, or any
‘vegetable or farinaceous fubftance. A little time reconciles it to the palate. There is another fort
made with the addition of marrow and dried berries, which is of a fuperior quality,

very