18 THE LABRADOR PENINSULA. chap. xxi. 



the lodge of the giver of the feast, which was proclaimed 

 in honour of the deity who presided over the chase. Each 

 guest took his place in silence, putting his legs underneath 

 his haunches and sitting hke a Turk. If a Manitousin or 

 conjuror happened to be present, he beat his drum during 

 the feast, but no word was spoken by any of the guests. 

 At an ordinary feast it was permitted to talk, laugh, and 

 enjoy the good tilings of this hfe. When the fire of the 

 master of the feast was surrounded by the guests, he 

 seized the bkch-bark cooking vessel and divided its 

 contents amongst them, without reserving anything for 

 himself; but his neighboiu" took care to select some of the 

 best portions, as they were passed to him to distribute, 

 and lay them on one side. Wlien all were served, he 

 would turn to the master of the feast, and, presenting him 

 with the reserved portions, say, ' Here is your share.' 

 The birch-bark dish with its contents was received with 

 a Ho ! ho ! ho ! and the savage assemblage set to work, 

 Hterally, with ' tooth and nail.' 



They boiled their meat in vessels of birch-bark by 

 introducing red-hot stones until the meat was cooked, 

 and the broth was always drunk after the meat was eaten. 

 The women dried moose flesh, and laid up a store of 

 smoked eels for winter use ; and in times of famine, 

 which were not unfrequent in the scYenteenth century, 

 they had recom^se to the inner bark of the birch and to 

 caribou moss. Wlien at war with their inveterate ene- 

 mies, the Iroquois or Mohawks, the men made shields of 

 cedar, sufficiently large to cover the entire body, con- 

 structed of a single piece of wood, very Hght and slightly 

 curved. They exhibited great ingenuity of construction. 



