Polynesian., 1856-11-08
No. "a
wife usages among rrapper, and ,u,;0n.

WHe 1s1ges among TraPPers md Indinn..
! From the Life aud Adventures of J. p. Beck
wourth, Scout and Pioneer, recently published by
the Harpers 4
After residence among them of few dnys. |
had slight difficulty in my family affairs A par
tyof Indians came into camp one day, bringing with
them three white mems scalps The sight OF lhcm
maze my blood boil with rage; but there was no
help for 1t, so determined to wait with patience
my day of revenge In accordance with their Gus
tom, scalp dance was held, al which there was
much additional rejoicing.
My wife came to me with the information that
her people were rejoicing, aud that she wished To
join them in the dance
replied, mo, these scapS belonged TO nv
people my heart is crying for their death you
must not rejoice when my heart cries-you must
not dance when | moGrn"
She then went out, as | supposed, satisfied. Nv
two white friends, having great curiosity to wit
ness the performance, were looking ont upon the
scene. reProved them for wishing TO witness the
savage reIolclngs over the fall Of the white men
who had belonged TO our own company.
Une of them answered, Well, your wife Is the
best dancer of the whole party; she out dances
them ALL
This was sting that pierced my very heart
Taking my battle-ax, and forcing myself into the
ring, watched my opportunity, and struck my dis
obedlent wife heavy blow on the head with the
side of my battle-ax, which dropped her as if d
ball had pierced her heart.
l dragged her through the crowd, AMI }. Il her
and went back to my tent
This act was performed in such a bold manner,
under the very noses Of hundreds Of them, that
they were thunderstruck, and for moment remain
ed motonless. When | entered the tent said To
my companions =" There, Eow, you bad better pre-
pare to hold on to your own scalps, since you take
so much interest in celebration over those of your
m murdarpd hrpthran - Their
ashy pale, expecting instant death.
by this time the whole Indian camp was in
blaze. "Kill him kill him! burn him burn him''
was shouted through the camp in their own Ian
guage, which plainly understood. was collect
ed for knew that they could kill me butoncc.
Soon heard the voice of my father-in-Iaw cry
ing in tone that sounded above all. stop hold
hold warriors, listen to your chief
All was hushed in an instant, and he continued
"Warriors | am the loser of a daughter, and her
brothers have lost sister-yOu have lost nothing.
She the wife of the trader :; gave her to him.
When your wives disobey your commands, you xii
them that is your right. That thing disObeycd
her husband he told her not to dance; she DISC
beyed him; she had no ears; he killed her and he
did right"
As-as-fO next came to my camp and said, My
son, you have done right; that woman | gave you
had no sense her ears were stopped up she would
not hearken to you, and you had right to kill her
But have another daughter, who Is younger than
she was. She is more beautiful she has good sense
and good ears You may have her in the place of
the bad one-shc will bearken TO all you say to
her."
"Well," thought l. this is getting married
again before have had time to mourn"
But | replied, Very well, my father, will ac-
cept OF your kind Offer" well knowing that to re-
fuse him would be TO offend, as he would suppose
that dsdaned his generosity.
NV second wife was brought to me. found her,
as her father had represented, far more intelligent
and far prettIer than her sister, and was really
proud of the change. ] now possessed one that
many warrior had performed deeds Of bloody val
or to obtain for it is high honor TO get the daugh
ter of a great chief to wife, AMI many a warrior
has sacrificed his life in seeking 10 attain such a
prize.
During the night, while and my wife were
quietly rePosing, some person crawled into cur
couch sobbing most bitterly. Angry at the lntru-
sion, | asked who was there.
4" Me- answered a voice, which, although we'll
NIGH stified with sobs, recognized that of my
other wife, whom every one had supposed dead.
After lying outside the lodge senseless for some
hours she had recovered and CROPPED her way to
my bed.
Go away" 1 said, "you have no business here;
have new wife now. one who has sense.
81 will not 90 away" she replied, my ears are
open now. was fool not to hearken to my hus-
band words when his heart was crying, but now =
have good sense, and will always heaIken 10 your
words"
1t did really seem as if her heart was broken, and
;he kept her position until morning. thought my
self now well supplied with wives, having two more
han cared to have but deemed II hardly worth
while to complain, as should very soon leave the
lamp, wives and all.