CARIBOU HIDES AND THEIR USE 139 



still, however, smoked Caribou-skin teepees in 

 use, while winter fur clothing, and moccasins 

 made from Caribou hides, are universally worn. 

 Summer clothing — top-boot leggings and shirts, 

 made from flexible native-tanned skins, are now 

 entirely out of use. 



Caribou-skin products are prepared by the 

 Chipewyans as follows : 



Babiche. — Long lengths of tough leather lace, 

 or thong, made from raw hide. Process of pre- 

 paration : hair scraped from skin ; skin dried ; 

 then skin soaked till soft, and cut into long strips 

 by circular cutting. Skin in nowise prepared by 

 the lengthy process required when dressing skins 

 for moccasins, etc. 



Skins dressed as Soft Leather. — Lengthy process 

 requiring, chiefly, industrious hand-working. 

 Skins soaked, and dried in the open air, and worked 

 with hands ; process repeated many times, each 

 time becoming more soft and more white. When 

 lying out, the clear, fresh air purifies the skins, 

 as in ordinary bleaching. Skins finally soaked 

 and rubbed in a solution of Caribou-brain (in 

 the absence of brain ordinary soap is used) : 

 brain contains grease, which has the essential 

 softening quality. The skins, when finished, 

 are very soft and flexible like Chamois leather, 

 and are, particularly if they be fawn skins, often 

 pure white. 



Dressed Fur Skins.— Hide dried first by stretch- 

 ing on the circular inside of teepee — thus drying 

 by the heat of the fire alight on the ground in 

 the centre of the interior ; skin then rubbed with 

 brain (or soap) and worked clean of all flesh, fat, 



