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Beyond Penn's Treaty

Account of a visit paid to the Indians in New York State

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here, the women have risen early;
gone out with their hoes to the corn-
field four or five miles in a company
some of whom were old greyheaded
women, and some girls of 8, 10 and 12
years of age, stuck pretty closely to
their work, return’d in the evening
weary, and go early to bed. One
old greyheaded woman I have seen
steadily on the move, she has had both
her feet so frozen, that she goes al-
together on her knees, I have seen
her carrying in wood and making the
fire, going to the river and brining up
water I have seen her take a hoe and go
40 perches out to the cornfield, return
in the evening with the labourers and
put her hoe by; and all this while
the men are spending their time
in idleness, such as shooting