13

Effeminate and never wage war with other nations, which those of Peace River are a warlike Tribe & always at war with their nearest neighbours & often with their nearest relations[.]

The Indians of this Fort with those of the River au Liard form but one Nation, tho they wish to make it appear otherwise[.] The total Amount of whom are is one or two Hundred men[.] As to the Am^t of women and Children, it is impossible for me who never saw one fourth of them[.] But to give a moderate guess they be computed in Number i.e. Men, Women and Children, to Five Hundred Souls[.] The fair Sex in the Tribe of those who reside in the upper Part of the Forks, are few in number[.] The Cause of which Scarcity may be assigned to the Custom they have of destroying the female Children when brought to the World – and their only reason for this Barbarous Custom that they give is that it is a great deal of trouble to bring up Girls and that women are only an incumbrance, useless in times of war and exceeding Voracious in times of want[.] However this cruelty is now begining to wear away[.] Yet this scarcity of women does not induce them to prostitute their women either amongst themselves or to Strangers like other Savage Tribes inhabiting the North – one woman in Common to two Brothers, and often to three[,] mothers copulate with their Sons, Brothers with with Sisters and but Seldom is a Father cohabiting with them his Daughter[.]

By what I can learn from hearsay and my own observations these Indians are naturally timerous, great Liars, inclined and indolence, and extremely Curious – yet generally good natured, Cour-

[13]