the restraint of the conjugal yoke, the
union, by mutual consent, is dissolved for a time; both then betake
themselves to their former courses. The woman, nevertheless, dare
not, according to law, take another husband during this temporary
separation. Whoever infringes this law, forfeits his life to the
aggrieved party, if he choose, or dare to take it.

Polygamy is allowed; but only one of the women is considered as the
wife. The most perfect harmony seems to subsist among them. When the
favourite happens to be supplanted by a rival, she resigns her place
without a murmur, well pleased if she can only enjoy the countenance
of her lord in a subordinate situation. Yet a rupture does sometimes
occur, when the repudiated party not unfrequently destroys herself.
Suicides were frequent among the females in the neighbourhood of Fort
Alexandria.

The Takellies are a sedentary people, remaining shut up in their huts
during the severer part of the winter. You may then approach a camp
without perceiving any sign of its vicinity, until you come upon
their well, or one of their salmon _caches_. They are very social,
congregating at each other's huts, and passing their time talking or
sleeping. When awake, their tongues are ever in motion,--all bawling
out at the same time; and it has often surprised me how they could
possibly make themselves understood in the midst of such an uproar.

All Indians with whom I have come in contact, Christian as well as
Pagan, are addicted to falsehood; but the Takellies excel; they
are perfect adepts in the art, telling their stories with such an
appearance of truth, that even those who know them well are often
deceived. They were the greatest thieves in the world when the whites
first settled among them. The utmost vigilance failed to detect them.
Some of our people have been known to have their belts taken off them,
without perceiving it till too late; and many a poor fellow, after
passing a night in one of their encampments, has been obliged to pass
the remainder of the winter with but half a blanket--the other half
having been cut off while he slept.

Theft, however, is not quite so prevalent as formerly; and, strange
to say, no Indians can be more honest in paying their debts. It would
indeed be desirable that this credit system, long since introduced,
were abolished; but if this were done, the natives would carry the
greater part of their hunts to another quarter. Some of the natives
of th