NORTHERN OCEAN. 268 
bring them forth in the latter end of April, or 1772, 
beginning of May. ferme 
Soon after our arrival no the South-fide of 
Athapufcow Lake, Matonabbee propofed conti- 
nuing our courfe in the South Weft quarter, in 
hopes.of meeting fome of the Athapufcow Indi- 
ans; becaufe 1 wifhed, if poflible, to purchafe a 
tent, and other ready-dreffed fkins from them; 
asa fupply of thofe articles would at this time 
have been of material fervice to us, being in great 
‘want both of tents and fhoe-leather: and though 
my companions were daily killing either moofe or 
buffalo, the weather was fo exceflively cold, as to 
render drefling their fkins not only very trouble- 
fome, but almoft impraéticable, efpeciaily to the 
generality of the Northern Indians, who are not 
well acquainted with the manufacture of that kind 
of leather. 
To drefs thofe kins according to the Indian 
method, a lather is made of the brains and fome 
of the fofteft fat or marrow of the animal, in 
which the fkin is well foaked, when it is taken 
out, and not only dried by the heat of a fire, but 
hung up in the fmoke for feveral days; it is then 
taken down, and well foaked and wafhed in warm 
water, till the grain of the fkin is perfectly open, 
and has imbibed a fufficient quantity of water, 
after which it is taken out and wrung as dry as 
poffible, and then dried by the heat of a flow fire ; 
care being taken to rub and ftretch it as long as 
| any moifture remains inthe fkin. By this fimple 
method, 
