The native population the ideas they
have formed of the white character. Notwithstanding the frequent
violations of the rights of property they have witnessed and but too
often experienced in their own persons, these savages, as they are
termed, remain strictly honest. During their visits to a post they are
suffered to enter every apartment in the house without the least
restraint and, although articles of value to them are scattered about,
nothing is ever missed. They scrupulously avoid moving anything from its
place although they are often prompted by curiosity to examine it. In
some cases indeed they carry this principle to a degree of self-denial
which would hardly be expected. It often happens that meat which has been
paid for (if the poisonous draught it procures them can be considered as
payment) is left at their lodges until a convenient opportunity occurs of
carrying it away. They will rather pass several days without eating than
touch the meat thus entrusted to their charge, even when there exists a
prospect of replacing it.
(*Footnote. Since these remarks were written the union of the rival
Companies has enabled the gentlemen who have now the management of the
fur trade to take some decided steps for the religious instruction and
improvement of the natives and half-breed Indians, which have been more
particularly referred to in the introduction.)
The hospitality of the Crees is unbounded. They afford a certain asylum
to the half-breed children when deserted by their unnatural white
fathers; and the infirm, and indeed every individual in an encampment,
share the provisions of a successful hunter as long as they last. Fond
too as a Cree is of spiritous liquors he is not happy unless all his
neighbours partake with him. It is not easy however to say what share
ostentation may have in the apparent munificence in the latter article;
for when an Indian, by a good hunt, is enabled to treat the others with a
keg of rum he becomes the chief of the night, assumes no little
stateliness of manner, and is treated with deference by those who regale
at his expense. Prompted also by the desire of gaining a NAME they lavish
away the articles they purchase at the trading posts and are well
satisfied if repaid in praise.
Gaming is not uncommon amongst the Crees of all the different districts,
but it is pursued to greater lengths by those bands who frequent the
plains and who, from the ease with which they obtain food, have abundant
leisure. The game most in use amongst them, termed puckesann, is played
with the stones of a species of prunus which, from this circumstance,
they term puckesann-meena. The difficulty lies in guessing the number of
stones which are tossed out of a small wooden dish and the hunters will
spend whole nights at the destructive sport, staking their most valuable
articles, powder and shot.
