Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/320

Rh the Indians, in order to gain a knowledge of their various remedies, drew up on her return an Indian materia-medica, which became much celebrated, and many new curative means have thus enriched the American pharmacopœia. Women are also, among the Indians, esteemed as physicians and interpreters of dreams; and the Winnebago Indians who dwell by Lake Superior, in the north-eastern part of Minnesota, have now, singularly enough, two queens whom they obey; the one for her wisdom, the other for her courage and bravery. Otherwise women among the Indians are, as is well known, servants who do all the hard work as well without as within the house. They dig the fields (pieces of land without form or regularity), sow and reap, gather wild rice, berries, roots, and make sugar from the juice of the sugar-maple. When the man kills a deer, he throws it down for the woman, who must prepare it for household use.

“What estimate may be given of the morals and character of the Indian women in this neighbourhood?” inquired I from a lady of St. Paul, who had resided a considerable time at this place.

“Many are immoral, and cannot be much commended; but others, again, there are, who are as virtuous and blameless as any of us.”

I have also heard incidents cited which prove that the Indian woman will sometimes assume in the wigwam the privilege of the husband, bring him under the rule of the mocassin, and chastise him soundly if he offend her. He never strikes again, but patiently lets himself be beaten black and blue. He knows, however, that his turn will come, and he knows well enough that he can then have his revenge.

When an Indian dies, the women assemble round the corpse, make a howling lament, tear their hair, and cut themselves with sharp stones. A missionary in Minnesota saw a young Indian woman slash and cut her flesh