PEMMICAN. 55 



A finer kind of pemmican is made by using only 

 marrow and soft fat, leaving out the tallow, and some- 

 times adding berries of different kinds and some 

 sugar. The berry pemmican is much prized, and 

 very difficult to get hold of, and is really capital 

 eating. (^) 



In a country where food is scarce, and the means 

 of transport very limited, pemmican is invaluable to 

 the traveller, as it contains a large amount of nourish- 

 ment in very small weight and compass. It is 

 uncommonly satisfying, and the most hungry mortal 

 is able to devour but a very small portion. Many a 

 time have we sat down half-famished, despising as 

 insignificant the dish of pemmican set before us, 

 and yet been obliged to leave the mess unfinished. 

 The voyageurs of the Hudson's Bay Company, whose 

 power of enduring fatigue is probably unequalled, sub- 

 sist almost entirely upon this kind of food. It has, 

 however, one drawback : it is yery difficult of digestion, 

 and a full meal of it is certain to cause considerable 

 suffering to an unaccustomed stomach. There are 

 few half-breeds who do not suffer habitually from 

 dyspepsia. 



Having crossed the Assiniboine river above the 

 Fort, we now left it to the right, travelling for several 

 days through rich, park-like country, similar to that 

 we had prcAdously traversed. Innumerable lakes and 

 pools, swarming with wild-fowl, supplied us with con- 



Q) The pemmican used in the Arctic expeditions was manufac- 

 tured in England of the best beef, with currants, raisins, and sugar ; 

 very different to the coarse stuff which is the staff of hfe in the 

 Hudson's Bay territories. 



