Diet, transportation techniques and dress were three different aspects of Indian culture adopted in whole or in part by the French in North America. Some of the common vegetables derived from the Indian diet were corn, squash, beans and pumpkin. In addition, the French began to exploit numerous animals for food, including moose, varieties of fish and many types of birds and waterfowl. Scurvy, which was a serious threat in early years, was avoided by adopting a vitamin-rich native diet.
Summer transportation of goods and furs in a land lacking roads was made possible by the adoption of the birchbark canoe. In winter, snowshoes solved the problem of movement in heavy snow, especially when used in conjunction with the toboggan for transporting trade goods and furs. European footwear was impractical either for canoe travel or when wearing snowshoes, so the soft leather Indian moccasin was adopted. The use of leather for clothing was a necessity for coureurs de bois in areas distant from settlement where cloth was unavailable.
An additional adaptation was in the area of language. Coureurs de bois learned native languages, in order to communicate effectively and fulfil their roles in the fur trade. This pattern was begun by ╔tienne Br√lΘ who was sent by Champlain in 1612 to winter among the Huron.
