THE MAKING OF THE MOCCASINS 127 



glides beyond vision from very speed. But, provided 

 no man-smell crosses its course, the caribou is vulner 

 able in its habits. Morning and evening, it comes back 

 to the same watering-place; and it returns to the same 

 bed for the night. If the trapper can conceal himself 

 without crossing its trail, he easily obtains the fine 

 filling for his snow-shoes. 



Moccasins must now be made. 



The trapper shears off the coarse hair with a sharp 

 knife. The hide is soaked; and a blunter, blade tears 

 away the remaining hairs till the skin is white and 

 clean. The flesh side is similarly cleaned and the skin 

 rubbed with all the soap and grease it will absorb. A 

 process of beating follows till the hide is limber. Care 

 lessness at this stage makes buckskin soak up water 

 like a sponge and dry to a shapeless board. The skin 

 must be stretched and pulled till it will stretch no 

 more. Frost helps the tanning, drying all moisture 

 out; and the skin becomes as soft; as down, without a 

 crease. The smoke of punk from a rotten tree gives 

 the dark yellow colour to the hide and prevents hard 

 ening. The skin is now ready for the needle; and all 

 odd bits are hoarded away. 



Equipped with moccasins and snow-shoes, the trap 

 per is now the winged messenger of the tragic fates 

 to the forest world. 



