class="hang">"View of the Chasm through which the Platte issues from the Rocky Mountains

Part II of James's Account of S. H. Long's
Expedition, 1819—1820

Reprinted from Volumes I and II of London edition, 1823

EXPEDITION FROM PITTSBURGH TO THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
[PART II]

{209} CHAPTER I {XI}1

Further Account of the Omawhaws—Of their Marriages—Of Infancy, and the Relationship of Parents and Children—Their Old Age.

In the Omawhaw nation, numbers of the females are betrothed in marriage from their infancy; and as polygamy is extremely common, the individual who weds the eldest daughter, espouses all the sisters successively, and receives them into his house when they arrive at a proper age.

During her early youth, the daughter continues under the controul of her parents, with whom she resides, and donations are occasionally made to her by the lover, which are received by the parents, and appropriated to their own use, if the addresses of the individual are favourably received; but should an alliance with him, or with his family not to be desirable, his presents are rejected, and the application is not renewed.

Between the age of nine and twelve years, the young wife is occasionally an invited visitant at the lodge of her husband, in order that she may become familiarized with his company and his bed. But her permanent residence is still at the house of her parents, where she continues until the age of thirteen or fourteen, when the parents give notice to their son-in-law, that their daughter is of sufficient age to partake of his bed. The husband then receives his bride without any formality, and leaving his other wives at home, departs with her upon a journey of a few days, during which time the marriage is consummated. On their return, the young wife again dwells in the lodge of her parents, occasionally {210} visited by her husband, until a general hunt calls the nation from the village.

During this hunt the husband again takes possession of his bride, whose parents constantly pitch their lodge near that of the son-in-law.

The husband, previously to introducing his new wife to his lodge, endeavours to obtain the consent of his other wives; for this purpose he speaks kindly to them, states the necessity of providing them with a helpmate to alleviate their burthens, and thus succeeds in his wishes.

The new matrimonial alliance is at first productive of no discord in the family; but at length the decided partiality, displayed by the husband in favour of his recent acquisition, engenders much jealousy in the minds of his elder wives. Quarrels often succeed, which are sometimes terminated by the natural weapons of the wives, who, after the liberal use of their voluble tongues, apply for more strenuous aid to the agency of their teeth and nails, or to the somewhat more formidable array of tomahawks, clubs, and missiles.

During combats of this nature, the husband remains perfectly neutral, sitting with his robe drawn over his head. Should the wives succeed in expelling the recent intruder, who takes refuge in the house of her parents, the husband endeavours to soothe their anger, and to point out to them the impropriety of their conduct.

A lecture of this description, to women elated with victory, is not always received in the same conciliatory disposition with that which dictated the advice; but sometimes results in another quarrel, which is terminated by the administration of a few blows on the persons of his refractory squaws. These will then depart from his lodge, declaring their determination to live with him no longer; a resolution which, however, fails with their anger, and they seek a reconciliation. Their friends apply to the husband in {211} their favour, and are informed that he was angry when he flogged them, and that he is now sorry for it. Thus matters are with but little difficulty adjusted; the wives return home, and are harangued by the husband, after which they proceed harmoniously together in their domestic employments, until some new feud arises to disturb the repose of the family.

On the general hunting expeditions, in which the nation separates into distinct bands, the husband takes with him his favourite wife, whilst the others accompany the bands in which are their parents. Sometimes, during a temporary encampment, the husband leaves his favourite for a few days, on pretence of business, in order to visit one of his wives in another band. On his return, he perceives the brow of his favourite to lower with evident displeasure; if his dog approaches her, she knocks him over with a club, and her child is repulsed with violence from her side; she kicks the fire about, pulls about the bed, and exhibits other signs of anger. The husband affects not to notice her inquietude, but suffers her to proceed in her own way, until the violence of her anger appears to be in some measure dissipated; he will then, perhaps, venture to request her to repair his mockasins for the morrow's hunt. "Take them to your dear wife in the other band," will most probably be the reply to his solicitation.

Such is sometimes the violence of the displeasure of his squaw, that he is obliged, through prudential motives, to take refuge in a neighbouring lodge, where he solaces himself with the pipe, until he supposes there is no longer danger of being provoked beyond endurance, so as to be tempted to chastise her; a discipline which she seems rather to solicit than avoid, that she may have a sufficient excuse for wreaking her vengeance on her rival, and for giving free vent to her sentiments and opinions upon her husband, in language of the most superlatively indecent and opprobrious nature.

{212} When he retires to repose, he invites her to his bed, but receives a positive refusal: she rolls herself in her covering alone; but generally, during the night, she becomes pacific, and a negociation ensues, which restores harmony between them.

The far greater portion of their matrimonial quarrels arise from jealousy, though many affect to treat this passion with ridicule, or with indifference.

"Were you ever jealous?" said Sans Oreille,2 an Oto chief, to Mr. Dougherty; "I was once fool enough to be jealous, but the passion did not long torment me; I recollected that women are often alone, their husband being necessarily often absent a hunting, and even when the husband is at home, the squaw is under the necessity of going to a distance for the purpose of bringing water, or collecting wood, when frequent opportunities occur of being unobserved in the company of other men; and I am not so silly as to believe that a woman would reject a timely offer. Even this squaw of mine, who sits by my