Letter by Reverend Father Etienne de Carheil to Monsieur Louis Hector de Callieres, governor [on conditions in the Upper Lakes in 1702]

              1696-1702] CARHEIL TO CALLlkRES 231
necessity, under the apparent decency of other needs. That is what we are obliged to oppose, and It is with reference to all These kinds of pretended necessities that rules must be made to prevent them from being, As they are, the Common sources of universal lewd¬ ness. It is impossible for us to apply a remedy for this evil, because they all Alike hide it under the decent pretext of their necessities—which, although Innocent in themselves, are not in their Case, because they serve them as a disposition and preparation for sin. It is necessary to point out these to you in detail, so that, when you Know them you may give the necessary warnings to the Court to apply an effective remedy in the Event of the 25 Permits being restored, which we trust will not happen.
Their first necessity consists in having women whom they Employ in pounding corn and doing their Cooking, and whom they detain under That pretext in their houses, when they wish and as long as they wish. The second consists in having some to Cut wood for them, and to carry it To their dwellings to Heat them. The third consists in having laundresses who, at the same time when, on the one Hand, they wash their linen, on the other defile their Bodies and blacken their souls by the most shameful brutishness. The 4th consists in having some women who make savage shoes. Garters [leggings?], and pouches, according to their fashion, and other similar articles. There are also some other necessities, less Common and less usual than Those 4 which are the chief ones, of which They make use to lure the women to their houses, and to give themselves a Pretext for going to theirs when It pleases them.
You see very well, Monseigneur, that even though