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Show 188 Lewis and Cla1'1~c's ExjJCdition the occupations, which elsewhere devolves wholly on thE' female, arc here common to both sc:xes. The observation with regard to the importance of fe PJPlcs, applies with equal force to the tt·catnumt of old men. *mong tribes who subsist by hunting, tho labours of the chase, and the wandering existence to which that occupation condemns them, ncccssarBy throws the but•dcn of procuring pJ•ovisions on the active young men. As soon, there · fore, as a man is unable to pursue the chase~ he begins to withdraw something ft·om tho precarious StlllJllies of the tl'ibc. Still, however, his <'Otmscls may compensate lli. want of activity; but in tlw next s~agc of infit·mity, when he can no longer trn.vel from camp to e:HnJl, as the tribo ,roams about for· subsistence, he is then found to be a heavy burden. In this situation they arc almmlone•l among tho Sioux, Atsiniboins, and the l10nt.ing t•·ibes on the ~1.issoul'i. As they are setting out for some new excursion, whc1·c the old man is unable to follow, his children, or nearest relations, place before him a I,icce of meat aml some water, and telling him th1tt he has lived long enough, that it is now time for him to go home to his relations, who could take better care of him than his ft~iends on cal'th, leave him, without rcmor~e, to perish, when his little supply is exhausted. TJw same custom is said to 11revail among the Minnctat·ces,Ahna· hawas, ami Ricaras, when they arc attended by ohl men on tbe.ir hunting excursions. Yet, in thcit· villages, we saw no want of kindness to old men. On the contrary, lwobabJy because in villages, the means of more abundant subsist· ence renders such cruelty unnecessary, the old I>eople ap· pearcd to be treated with attention, and some of tbeit· feasts, particul$rly the uuffaloc dances, were intended chiefly as a contribution for the old and imfirm. The di~positions of these people seem mild and inoffensive, and they have uniformly behaved to us with great friendship. They at·e addicted to begging and 11ill'C1·ing small articles, when it can be t\one without danger of detec~on, but do not Up the JJiissom·i. 1S9 l'Ob wantonly, not~ to any la1'ge amount: and some of them having ~pul'loiocd some of our meat, which the hunters had been obliged to leave in the woods, they voluntarily brought some dogs a few days aftet·, by way of compensation. Our force nnd gt·eat supel'iority in the use of firearms, coable us always to command, and such is the fl'iendly deportment of these people, that the men have been accustomed to treat them with the greatest confidence. It is thet•efore with diffieultythat we can impress on our men a conviction of the neces. sity of being always on our gmu·d, since wo are llerfectly ac· (iUaintcd with the treacherous eha.ractcr of Indians in general. 'Ve are always J>rcparcd fot• an attack, and uniformly ex .. elude all large parties of Indians from the fort. r111eir large houses usually, contain several families, consisting of the pal'Cnts, thch• sons and daughters-in-law, and grand ehildreti, ctmong whom the provisions are common, and whoso harmony is scarcely ever interrupted by disputes. Although polygamy is permitted by theit· custo.ms, very few have more than a single wife, an'l she is brought immediately after thQ marriage into the husband's family, where she resides until increasing num!Jcrs oblige them to seek another house. In this state the old man is not considered as the hea<l of the' family, since the active duties, as well as the responsibility, iall on some of the younger members. As these families ?,t'allually expand into bands or tl'ibes or nations, the pater· aet·nal authol'ity is rc1u·esented by the chief of each associa· t ion. 'rhis chieftain however is not hereditary; his ability to rencler service to his ncighbou1·s, and the popularity which follows it, is at once the foundation aud t.he measure of his auth01•ity, the exercise of which does not extend beyond a rept·im~md for some improper action. The harmony of theh· private lif6 is indeed secured by their igno1·ance of spirituous liquors, the earliest and most' drcadfuiJ•rcsent which civilization bas given to the other natives of the continent. Although they have had so much intereoursc with white~, thr.y do not appear to pode-R~ au~ |