3 7 'J Preparation of Pemmican. marvu, isao. 



Bv coiitiiiuino" tlie work nearly every day, 170 pounds of thoroughly 

 (h-icd meat, l'(\u'.\\ to (J-SO pounds of the fresh, were obtained. This, 

 mixed witli (ood-xoo was good pemmican.* For a sufficient sup})ly of 

 food for the dogs on the journe}^ Hall was soon to undertake, he was 

 dependent on the natives, who with great difficulty caught for him a 

 ^\ ah-us far out on the ice. His liealth was better than at any previous 

 time of his residence in the North; he Jirirr had a touch of scurvy. 

 His thorougli adoption of the Innuit dress fully protected his person, 

 so that, with the exception of slight frost-bites on his face, he sustained 

 no bodily injury from severe exposures. He took exercise only when 

 necessary to procure supplies or when inclination prompted; — never for 

 the sake of exercise purely: but he found his strength and power of 

 endurance to increase, as is shown by his readily walking off for some 



* Wlu'ii Hall left tlio United States in 18o4 he contracted for r,00 pounds desiccated beef 

 incorporated with 500 pounds of beef-suet tallow and put up in tin cans of 25 pounds each. He liad 

 now learned tlie value of this iieunnican in days bonleriug on starvation, on which he had sonie- 

 tiuu's fallen. Hence his great labor at the date of setting out linally on so long a journey- In 

 this connection it may be of interest to refer to the provision made by the distinguished Arctic 

 explorer Richardson when setting out on his boat voyage through Rupert's Land in 1H51. The 

 most amjile means for the preparation of full supplies was in his hands. He describes it follows: 

 "A rouiKl or bullock of beef of the l)est ([uality having be«'n cut into thin steaks, from which 

 the fat and the meml)ranous i)arts were pared away, was dried in a malt-kiln over an oak-fire, 

 until its moisture was entirely dissipated and the libre of the meat became frial)le. It was then 

 ground in a mall -mil!, when it resendjled tinely-grated meat. IJeing next mixed with nearly an 

 i-ipial weight (if mclttMl hcrf suet, or lard, the preparation of i)lain ]>emmican was complete; but 

 to icndci- it muic agrci-ahle to the unaccustomed palate a jiroportiou of the best Zante eniiants 

 was aihlfd to pari of it, ami i)art was sweetened with sugar. 15oth these kinds were much 

 approved of in the sequti liy the con.sumers. but morr rspctinlly that to which the sugar h;id liem 

 ailih'd. After the ingredients were well incorporated by stirring, they were transferred to tin 

 canisters, capable of containing 85 ]»ounds each; and having been firndy rammed down and 

 allowed to contract further by cooling, the air was completely expelled ami excluded by filling 

 the canister to the ))rim with melted lard through a small hole left in the end, wliich was then 

 covered with a piece of tin and soldered ui>. 



"The meat in drying loses nutre than iluee-fourtiis of its original v.eight; :?5,(!51 jiounds 

 were reduced to about 8,0(10. * The natives of the Northwest dry their venison 



by exposing thin slices to the heat of the sun on a stage inider which a small lire is ke])t, more 

 for the iiiir]>ose of driving away the llics hy t lu- smoke ilmn for ]ironioliiig exsiccal iou, and then 

 they ])ound it iM^tween two stones on a bison-hide. In tjijs inocess the pounded meat is contami- 

 nated by a greater or smaller admixt ure of liair or ol Ik r inii)urities." 



