1771

Samuel Hearne & Chief Matonabee
THE MEETING & THE SUICIDE
Reference 

"The Angularity of the circumflance, the comelinefs of her perfon, and her approved accomplifli- ment8» occafioned a ilrong conteft between feveral of the Indians of my party, who Ihould have her for a wife; and the poor girl was adiually won and lofl at wreftling by near half a fcore different men the fame evening. My guide Montonabee, who at the lame time had no lefs than feven wives, all women grown , befides a young girl of eleven or twelve years old, would have put in for the prize alfo, had not one of his wives made him afhamed of it, by telling him he had more wives than he couM properly attend. . This piece of fatire, however true, proved fatal to the poor girl, who dared to make fuch an open declaration; for the great man, Montonabee, who would willingly have been thought equal to eight or ten men in every refpe6^, took it fuch an affront, that he fell on her with both hands and feet, and bruifed her to fuch a degree, that, after lingering fome time, ihe died.' "