William Christian Letter, 1782
"The miseries of those people from what I see and hear
seem to exceed description; here are men women and children
almost naked; I see very little to cover either sex
but some old bear skins, and we are told that the bulk of
the nation are in the same naked situation. But this is not
the greatest of their evils; their crops this year have been
worse than ever was known, so that their
corn and potatoes, it is supposed will be all done before April;
and many are already out, particularly widows and fatherless
children, who have no men nearly connected with them."
[William Christian to ..., Dec. 1782. Draper
MS 11S10.]
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