Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 03Champlain, Samuel de
History
Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 03
Champlain, Samuel de
America -- Discovery and exploration -- French; Indians of North America -- Canada; New France -- Discovery and exploration
They have some sort of marriage, which is as follows: when a girl has
reached the age of eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, or fifteen years she
has suitors, more or less according to her attractions, who woo her for
some time. After this, the consent of their fathers and mothers is asked,
to whose will the girls often do not submit, although the most discreet and
considerate do so. The lover or suitor presents to the girl some necklaces,
chains, and bracelets of porcelain. If the girl finds the suitor agreeable,
she receives the present. Then the lover comes and remains with her three
or four nights, without saying anything to her during the time. They
receive thus the fruit of their affections. Whence it happens very often
that, after from eight to fifteen days, if they cannot agree, she quits her
suitor, who forfeits his necklaces and other presents that he has made,
having received in return only a meagre satisfaction. Being thus
disappointed in his hopes, the man seeks another woman, and the girl
another suitor, if it seems to them desirable. Thus they continue to do
until a favorable union is formed. It sometimes happens that a girl thus
passes her entire youth, having more than twenty mates, which twenty are
not alone in the enjoyment of the creature, mated though they are; for when
night comes the young women run from one cabin to another, as do also the
young men on their part, going where it seems good to them, but always
without any violence, referring the whole matter to the pleasure of the
woman. Their mates will do likewise to their women-neighbors, no jealousy
arising among them on that account, nor do they incur any reproach or
insult, such being the custom of the country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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