APPENDIX. 675 



Mr Rand's knowledge of their language has enabled him to collect many 

 of these. 



They believe in fairies, whom they call " Wlggul-laddum moochklk," 

 very little people. Tliey are supposed to be superhuman, immortal, living 

 in caves and underground, and, like the fairies of other lands, coming out to 

 dance, and disappearing in the day-time. 



They also have a tradition of a primitive race of giants, "kookwes" 

 (cf. yiyag), of great size, and cannibals. 



By the term " Chinook," which is the actual name of a tribe of Western 

 "flat-head" Indians, in historic times far removed from the Micmacs, they 

 denote a northern people with hearts of ice, and so terrible that their very 

 war-whoop was fatal. 



They know of fauns or demi-gods, " Migumoowesoo,^'' which haunt the 

 woods, and sing and play exquisitely, seeking to entice unwary travellers. 

 They have also seen mermaids of the true mythological type. 



The ancient Micmacs had names for the principal constellations, but their 

 degenerate descendants have lost most of these. They still know " Mooin," 

 the Bear, or Ursa Major ; and it is characteristic, that as Micmacs know that 

 bears have not long tails, the stars of the tail of the Bear are called the 

 " Hunters." Each of these has his name. The nearest is Pules, Pigeon ; 

 the next is Chigugech, Chickadee or Titmouse; the third is Chipchiioitch, 

 Robin. These words are curious illustrations of the prevalent onomatopoeia 

 in the names of animals. A small star near one of the Hunters is his 

 " Kettle," and Berenice's Hair is the " Bear's Den." The Evening Star 

 they call Ncganoos, the leader of the host. The jMorning Star is Oota da 

 biin, the herald of morning. The Belt of Orion they call the " Fishermen," 

 and his sword the " Kings." Four stars in the form of a cross in the thigh 

 of Antinous are called the " Loon." The Pleiades are named Ajalkuchj 

 the meaning of which is not known. 



Lastly, they have a great traditional immortal patriarch, benevolent and 

 powerful, " Glooscap" of whom they have many legends, and who has left 

 his children, the Micmacs, because of tlieir sins, but who will one day return 

 when they are sufficiently humbled and penitent. 



(B,)— Peat as Fuel. 



It is not to be expected that, in the vicinity of the coal-fields, peat can be 

 profitably manufactured for fuel ; but in those parts of Nova Scotia and New 

 Brunswick remote from the coal districts, there exist important deposits of 

 this substance which may become economically useful. The principal dis- 

 advantage of peat as compared with coal is the large quantity of water 

 which it contains, amounting to about 90 per cent, of the wliole in the crude 

 material, and even in the dried peat to from 20 to 35 per cent. This difficulty 

 is partially obviated by thorough drying in the air, and more completely by 

 pulverizing and compressing the peat, or by charring it, as is done in France. 

 The only locality in Canada where peat is at present extensively worked is 

 on the property of Mr Hodges, in Bulstrode, P. Q. The process employed 

 is that of excavating the peat, reducing it to pulp, cutting it into square 

 portions like bricks, and thoroughly drying it. The machinery employed 



