lavery in North America among savages.+ Slavery is
believed to have existed amongst the Indians of Virginia. "They
made war, not for land or goods, but for women and children, whom
they put not to death, but made them do service."[674] The young
men and slaves worked in the fields of the Mississippi valley.
The latter were not overworked.[675] The Algonquins made slaves
of their prisoners, especially of the women and children.[676]
The Illinois are represented as an intermediate party who got
slaves in the South and sold them in the West.[677] The Wisconsin
tribes used to make captives of Pawnees, Osages, Missouris, and
Mandans. When Pawnees were such captives (slaves) they were
treated with severity.[678] In the Gulf region of North America
slavery was common from the earliest times. That slaves might not
escape, a sinew in the leg was cut, by the Six Nations.[679] On
the northwestern coast of North America slavery was far more
developed than east of the Rocky Mountains. In Oregon and
Washington slavery was interwoven with the social polity. Slaves
were also harshly treated, as property, not within the limits of
humanity. For a man to kill a half dozen of his own slaves was a
sign of generous magnanimity on his part. One tribe stole
captives from its weaker neighbors. Hence the slave trade is an
important part of the commerce of all the tribes up to
Alaska.[680] In 1841 it was reckoned that one third of the entire
population from northern British Columbia to southern Alaska were
"slaves of the most helpless and abject description." "The great
supply was obtained by trade with the southern Indians, in which
the Tsimshian acted as middlemen. They were kidnapped or captured
by the southern Indians from their own adjacent tribes and sold
to the Tsimshian, who traded them to the northern Thlinkit and
interior Tinne tribes for furs." "Slaves did all the drudgery,
fished for their owner, strengthened his force in war, were not
allowed to hold property or to marry, and when old and worthless
were killed. The master's power was unlimited." The slave must
commit any crime at the command of the master. The slaves were
set free at some ceremonies, but they were put to death at the
funerals of chiefs, or as foundation sacrifices, or in reparation
for insults or wrongs. The northern Indians were more warlike and
would not m