134 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



either sun-dried or compressed into thin cakes somewhat resembling 

 large flat plugs of tobacco. This is done by a pi'ocess which, if 

 primitive, is not the less complicated. When the fruit has been 

 collected in sufficient quantities, they build on the ground a sort of 

 large boiling vessel with spruce bark supported by sticks driven into 

 the soil. This being tilled with service-berries, they throw in heated 

 stones which in a few moments, will have the double effect of boiling 

 and pressing down the fruit whose juice escapes through a naiTOw 

 conduit at the bottom side of the boiler into an adjoining flat vessel 

 also made of the same material. When the liquid is thus all extract- 

 ed, the residue of the larger vessel is thoroughly kneaded ; after which 

 it is spread out in thin laj^ers on willow hurdles previously covered 

 with epilobium leaves and then exposed to the action of the sun and 

 air. By frequently sprinkling the residue with the juice of the berry 

 it coagulates into large cakes of almost uniform thickness. These 

 when thoroughly prepared will keep for years, and when spi'inkled 

 over with a little sugar, it is of tempting succulency even to others 

 than Indians. 



They also treat in about the same way the yenthcemi (Vaccinhini 

 nliginosum, bog brll-beriy), a si)ecies of small blue-berry, very sweet 

 and juicy when fresh ; but these they boil in common kettles and 

 spread the jam on small hurdles without having previously extracted 

 the juice. Several other species of berries which it is not' necessary 

 to enumerate are also j)reserved in a similar manner. 



Another welcome addition to the Denes' larder is the Kcennih or 

 cambium layer of the scrub pine {P. contorta). This they get at 

 by barking the tree with a cariboo horn or shoot thereof (figure 7.) 

 and then scraping ofl' the cambium in thin ribbon like shavings 

 which, after undergoing the usual drying process, will retain for quite 

 a tiyie much of its original freshness, although indubitably savouring 

 of gum, or perhaps owing to that flavour, it is considered very whole- 

 some. They also eat the growing shoots of the willow herb, [Epilobium 

 heracleuvi) and other plants indigenous to their country. 



Besides the above mentioned berries and economic plants, many 

 roots containing mox-e or less starch, were formerly, and are still to a 

 great extent, sought after, di'ied and stowed away. The Chilh;)(otins 



