The assiduous hunter often returns to his temporary residence in the evening, after unsuccessful exertions continued the live-long day: he is hungry, cold, and fatigued; with his mockasins, perhaps, frozen on his feet. His faithful squaw may be unable to relieve his hunger, but she seats herself by his side near the little fire, and after having disposed of his hunting apparatus, she rubs his mockasins and leggings, and pulls them off, that he may be comfortable; she then gives him water to drink, and his pipe to smoke. His children assemble about him, and he takes one of them upon his knee, and proceeds to relate to it the adventures of the day, that his squaw may be informed of them. "I have been active all day, but the Master of life has prevented me from killing any game; but never despond, my children and your mother, I may be fortunate to-morrow." After some time he retires to rest, but the wife remains to dry his clothing. He often sings until midnight, and on the morrow he again sallies forth before the dawn, and may soon return with a superabundance of food. Such is the life of the Indian hunter, and such the privations and pleasures to which his being is habitually incident. The squaws, in addition to their occupation of flaying the animals which their husbands entrap, and of preparing and preserving the skins, are often necessitated to dig the pomme de terre, _noo_; and to {200} scratch the groundpea, _himbaringa_, (the same word is also applied to the bean,) from beneath the surface of the soil. This vegetable is produced on the roots of the apios tuberosa, they also frequently find it hoarded up in the quantity of a peck or more in the brumal retreats of the field mouse, (mus agrarius, Var?) for its winter store. The seeds of the nelumbium luteum, analogous to the sacred bean of the Brahmins, also contribute to their sustenance; these are distinguished by the name Te-row-a, or bison-beaver, [_te_, bison; and _row-a_, beaver; in the Oto dialect,] and when roasted are much esteemed. The root of this plant is also an article of food during the privations of this portion of the year; it is either roasted or boiled; and is prepared for keeping by boiling, after which it is cut up in small pieces and dried: in taste it is somewhat similar to the sweet potato. With the skins of the animals obtained during this hunt, the natives again repair to the traders to compensate them for the articles which they had obtained on credit. But owing to the intrigues of rival traders, the Indians are, with, however, numerous exceptions, not remarkable for any great degree of punctuality in making their returns to cancel their debts. Many obtain credit from one trader, and barter their peltries with another, to the great injury of the first.