34 



Green herbs and saxifrage are gathered by the women 

 when they first appear 1 and used as greens with the bowl of meat. 

 In times of starvation even moss is utilized. Only certain kinds 

 are used, such as the varieties of caribou moss (nexa'yasuk) 

 which contain enough nourishment to sustain life. 



The women also hunt for fleshy roots and tubers which they 

 dig up with pointed sticks. There is a little tuber, commonly 

 called the "Eskimo potato," which I believe is a variety of the 

 red lily, much sought after by the Alaskan Eskimo women. 

 These are strung on sinew lines and hung up in the sun to dry. 

 They are about as large as walnuts and have about the same 

 taste as new potatoes. 



Fish are very abundant along the Labrador coast, and are 

 taken by the Eskimo in large quantities. Since the advent 

 of the Moravians, improved methods of curing have been intro- 

 duced, which have resulted in the "Mission" fish bringing a 

 higher price in the market than that of the white fishermen. 2 

 Cod, salmon, whitefish, capelin, and sea trout are plentiful 

 on the Atlantic coast. In Ungava bay some salmon are taken. 3 



BERRIES. 



The abundance of various kinds of berries compensates 

 for the absence of large fruit. Nearly twenty varieties of edible 

 berries are distinguished and named by the natives. 



> In Alaska, when the disappearing snow has laid bare the first green grasses and herbs 

 on the hillslopes, the Eskimo women go out and each gathers a handful of the new shoots, 

 which are brought in and ceremonially burnt over a small fire outside the iglu. They say 

 that this ensures the growth for the summer. 



1 The native method of curing fish differs slightly from that of the whites. The backbone 

 and ribs are completely removed by two cuts of the ulu instead of the method employed by the 

 fishermen, consisting of one cut, which removes half the bone. The Eskimo then hang the fish 

 up on notched sticks to dry. The back is dried first to give stiffness and retain the shape 

 In the spread-out sides, which the presence of the rib bone gives in the civilized method. The 

 advantage of the native method is that it gives a boneless fish. After the back is well stiffened 

 the front is dried. Fish cured this way will keep indefinitely. 



The present method, introduced by the Moravians, is similar to those used in the old 

 country, in Scandinavia and Germany. More attention is paid to the cure and to cleanliness, 

 which perhaps also accounts for the higher price. 



' The Ungava salmon are classed scientifically aa the Arctic salmon; by the fishermen 

 they are believed to be simply a part of the Labrador school. They arrive two months after 

 the main Labrador school and are said to be larger and finer fish. 



