When they arrive at the place which their tyrants have chosen for their encampment, they arrange the tent in a few minutes by forming a curve of poles meeting at the top and expanding into a circle of twelve or fifteen feet in diameter at the bottom, covered with dressed skins of the moose sewn together.

During these preparations the men sit down quietly to the enjoyment of their pipes, if they happen to have any tobacco." [Footnote 10: The manner of courtship among the Ojibwes seemed to Peter Grant not only singular, but rude.

"The lover begins his first addresses by gently pelting his mistress with bits of clay, snowballs, small sticks, or anything he may happen to have in his hand.

If she returns the compliment, he is encouraged to continue the farce, and repeat it for a considerable time, after which more direct proposals of marriage are made by word of mouth."] Among the Ojibwe and Huron Indians of the Great Lakes the men sometimes obliged their wives to bring up and nourish young bears instead of their own children, so that the bears might eventually be fattened for eating.

If food was scarce, the women went without before even the male slaves of the tribe were unprovided with food.