Don't let us decide just yet, however, whether the Indian derives more
pleasure from life than does the white man, at least, not until we
return from our voyage of pleasure and investigation; but before we
leave Fort Consolation it is well to know that the hunting grounds in
possession of the Indian tribes that live in the Great Northern Forest
have been for centuries divided and subdivided and allotted, either by
bargain or by battle, to the main families of each band. In many cases
the same hunting grounds have remained in the undisputed possession of
the same families for generations. Family hunting grounds are usually
delimited by natural boundaries, such as hills, valleys, rivers, and
lakes. The allotments of land generally take the form of wedge-shaped
tracts radiating from common centres. From the intersection of these
converging boundary lines the common centres become the hubs of the
various districts. These district centres mark convenient summer
camping grounds for the reunion of families after their arduous labour
during the long winter hunting season. The tribal summer camping
grounds, therefore, are not only situated on the natural highways of
the country--the principal rivers and lakes--but also indicate
excellent fishing stations. There, too, the Indians have their burial
grounds.

Often these camping grounds are the summer headquarters for from three
to eight main families; and each main family may contain from five or
six to fifty or sixty hunting men. Inter-marriage between families of
two districts gives the man the right to hunt on the land of his wife's
family as long as he "sits on the brush" with her--is wedded to
her--but the children do not inherit that right; it dies with the
father. An Indian usually lives upon his own land, but makes frequent
excursions to the land of his wife's family.