The Crees, having early obtained arms from the European traders, were
enabled to make harassing inroads on the lands of their neighbours and
are known to have made war excursions as far to the westward as the Rocky
Mountains, and to the northward as far as Mackenzie's River; but their
enemies being now as well armed as themselves the case is much altered.
They show great fortitude in the endurance of hunger and the other evils
incident to a hunter's life; but any unusual accident dispirits them at
once, and they seldom venture to meet their enemies in open warfare or to
attack them even by surprise unless with the advantage of superiority of
numbers. Perhaps they are much deteriorated in this respect by their
intercourse with Europeans. Their existence at present hangs upon the
supplies of ammunition and clothing they receive from the traders and
they deeply feel their dependent situation. But their character has been
still more debased by the passion for spiritous liquors so assiduously
fostered among them. To obtain the noxious beverage they descend to the
most humiliating entreaties and assume an abjectness of behaviour which
does not seem natural to them and of which not a vestige is to be seen in
their intercourse with each other. Their character has sunk among the
neighbouring nations. They are no longer the warriors who drove before
them the inhabitants of the Saskatchewan and Missinippi. The Cumberland
House Crees in particular have been long disused to war. Betwixt them and
their ancient enemies, the Slave nations, lie the extensive plains of
Saskatchewan, inhabited by the powerful Asseeneepoytuck or Stone Indians
who, having whilst yet a small tribe entered the country under the
patronage of the Crees, now render back the protection they received.
The manners and customs of the Crees have, probably since their
acquaintance with Europeans, undergone a change at least equal to that
which has taken place in their moral character; and although we heard of
many practises peculiar to them yet they appeared to be nearly as much
honoured in the breach as the observance. We shall however briefly notice
a few of the most remarkable customs.
When a hunter marries his first wife he usually takes up his abode in the
tent of his father-in-law and of course hunts for the family; but when he
becomes a father the families are at liberty to separate or remain
together as their inclinations prompt them. His second wife is for the
most part the sister of the first but not necessarily so for an Indian of
another family often presses his daughter upon a hunter whom he knows to
be capable of maintaining her well. The first wife always remains the
mistress of the tent and assumes an authority over the others which is
not in every case quietly submitted to. It may be remarked that whilst an
Indian resides with his wife's family it is extremely improper for his
mother-in-law to speak or even look at him; and when she has a
communication to make it is the etiquette that she should turn her back
upon him and address him only through the medium of a third person. This
singular custom is not very creditable to the Indians if it really had
its origin in the cause which they at present assign for it namely that a
woman's speaking to her son-in-law is a sure indication of her having
conceived a criminal affection for him.
It appears also to have been an ancient practice for an Indian to avoid
eating or sitting down in the presence of the father-in-law. We received
no account of the origin of this custom and it is now almost obsolete
amongst the Cumberland House Crees, though still partially observed by
those who frequent Carlton.
Tattooing is almost universal with the Crees. The women are in general
content with having one or two lines drawn from the corners of the mouth
towards the angles of the lower jaw; but some of the men have their
bodies covered with a great variety of lines and figures. It seems to be
considered by most rather as a proof of courage than an ornament, the
operation being very painful and, if the figures are numerous and
intricate, lasting several days. The lines on the face are formed by
dextrously running an awl under the cuticle and then drawing a cord,
dipped in charcoal and water, through the canal thus formed. The
punctures on the body are formed by needles of various sizes set in a
frame. A number of hawk bells attached to this frame serve by their noise
to cover the suppressed groans of the sufferer and, probably for the same
reason, the process is accompanied with singing. An indelible stain is
produced by rubbing a little finely-powdered willow-charcoal into the
punctures. A half-breed whose arm I amputated declared that tattooing was
not only the most painful operation of the two but rendered infinitely
more difficult to bear by its tediousness having lasted in his case three
days.
A Cree woman at certain periods is laid under considerable restraint.
They are far however from carrying matters to the extremities mentioned
by Hearne in his description of the Chipewyans, or Northern Indians. She
lives apart from her husband also for two months if she has borne a boy
and for three if she has given birth to a girl.
Many of the Cree hunters are careful to prevent a woman from partaking of
the head of a moose-dear lest it should spoil their future hunts; and for
the same reason they avoid bringing it to a fort, fearing lest the white
people should give the bones to the dogs.
