308 A JOURNEY TO THE 



in some of the larger animals, and especially when they are 

 some time gone with young, needs no description to make it 

 sufficiently disgusting ; and yet I have known some in the 

 Company's service remarkably fond of the dish, though I am 

 not one of the number. The womb of the beaver and deer is 

 well enough, but that of the moose and buffalo is very rank, 

 and truly disgusting.''' 



[320] Our Northern Indians who trade at the Factory, as 

 well as all the Copper tribe, pass their whole Summer on the 

 barren ground, where they generally find plenty of deer ; and 

 in some of the rivers and lakes, a great abundance of fine fish. 



Their bows and arrows, though their original weapons, 

 are, since the introduction of fire-arms among them, become 

 of little use, except in killing deer as they walk or run through 



* The Indian method of preparing this unaccountable dish is by throwing 

 the filthy bag across a pole directly over the fire, the smoke of which, they say, 

 much improves it, by taking off the original flavour ; and when any of it is to 

 be cooked, a large flake, like as much tripe, is cut off and boiled for a few 

 minutes ; but the many large nodes with which the inside of the womb is 

 studded, make it abominable. These nodes are as incapable of being divested 

 of moisture as the skin of a live eel ; but when boiled, much resemble, both in 

 shape and colour, the yolk of an egg, and are so called by the natives, and as 

 eagerly devoured by them. 



The tripe of the buffalo is exceedingly good, and the Indian method of 

 cooking it infinitely superior to that practised in Europe. When opportunity will 

 permit, they wash it tolerably clean in cold water, strip off all the honey-comb, 

 and only boil it about half, or three-quarters of an hour : in that time it is 

 sufficiently done for eating ; and though rather tougher than what is prepared 

 in England, yet is exceedingly pleasant to the taste, and must be much more 

 nourishing than tripe that has been soked and scrubbed in many hot waters, 

 and then boiled for ten or twelve hours. 



The lesser stomach, or, as some call it, the many-folds, either of buffalo, 

 moose, or deer, are usually eat raw, and are very good ; but that of the moose, 

 unless great care be taken in washing it, is rather bitter, owing to the nature of 

 their food. 



The kidneys of both moose and buffalo are usually eat raw by the Southern 

 Indians ; for no sooner is one of those beasts killed, than the hunter rips up its 

 belly, thrusts in his arm, snatches out the kidneys, and eats them warm, before 

 the animal is quite dead. They also at times put their mouths to the wound the 

 ball has made, and suck the blood ; which they say quenches thirst, and is very 

 nourishing. 



