294 INDIANS. 



CHAPTEE XXV. 



LOVE, COURTSHIP, AND MARRIAGE. 



' Love rules the court, the camp, the grove.' 



THERE is a vast amount of love making in an Indian 

 encampment. No sooner has the boy passed his ordeal 

 and become a warrior than he begins to look for a wife. 

 Although the only real essential in the affair is that he 

 has ponies to pay for her, yet, for reasons which will- 

 hereafter appear, it is always better to win, if possible, the 

 love of the girl. His first approaches are very like those 

 of a bashful backwoods lover. He frequents the lodge 

 of his charmer, does much c heavy standing around,' 

 showing only by looks the feelings which agitate his 

 breast. Not meeting with rebuff he takes to serenades, 

 ' vexes the drowsy ear of night,' and sets all the dogs and 

 old women in camp frantic with ' most doleful strains ' 

 on a wretched substitute for a flute. Now he begins to 

 hope, and for hours each night lies in wait near the door 

 of her lodge, watching for the appearance of his beloved, 

 but carefully concealing himself from the observation of 

 any other person. 



There being an average of eight or ten people living 

 in the one room of the lodge, his opportunities for private 

 converse with his mistress would be of the fewest, but for 

 her assistance. In case his addresses are not distasteful 

 to her, nor unfavourably regarded by the father, she, after 

 dark, leaves the lodge, and is immediately pounced upon 

 by the lover. If she resists or cries out he is obliged 



