136 THE REIN-DEER. 



nufacture of fishing-nets, or in making snow-shoes ; 

 while the tendons of the dorsal muscles are split in- 

 to fine and excellent sewing thread." 



To the Canadian voyager the venison is an im- 

 portant article. By the natives the whole animal 

 almost is consumed, every part of the interior being 

 eaten ; but it is from a mixture of the meat and fat 

 of this animal, that the composition named pemmi- 

 can is made. If kept dry, it may be preserved for 

 three or four years, and, containing much nourishment 

 in small bulk, is well fitted for extensive journeys, 

 as has already been proved by its utility in the ar- 

 duous arctic expeditions of our countrymen. An- 

 other mixture of pounded deer's meat and fish, or 

 fish- roe, is made, which is either eaten raw, or made 

 into soup ; it is called Thucchawgan. * 



Excellent and appropriate winter dresses are also 

 made of the skins, by both natives and Europeans, 

 which exclude the cold in a way hardly to be cre- 

 dited. This, however, will be better exemplified 

 when we notice the Rein-Deer of Lapland. 



To the European the gun is an indispensable ac- 

 companiment of the chase ; but for the native tribes, 

 necessity has been fertile in expedients to kill or 

 capture them. They are said to be the most easy 

 of approach of all the North American deer ; and a 

 single family of Indians will sometimes destroy two 

 or three hundred in a few weeks. They are taken 

 by snares, or shot with the bow and arrow, being ap- 

 " Richardson. 



