314 A JOURNEY TO THE 



tickomeg,) tench, two sorts of barbie, (called by the Southern 

 Indians Na-may-pith,) burbot, pike, and a few perch. The 

 four former are caught in all parts of this country, as well the 

 woody as the barren ; but the three latter are only caught to 

 the Westward, in such lakes and rivers as are situated among 

 the woods ; and though some of those rivers lead to the 

 barren ground, yet the [328] three last mentioned species of 

 fish are seldom caught beyond the edge of the woods, not 

 even in the Summer season. 



There is a black, hard, crumply moss, that grows on the 

 rocks and large stones in those parts, which is of infinite 

 service to the natives, as it sometimes furnishes them with a 

 temporary subsistence, when no animal food can be procured. 

 This moss, when boiled, turns to a gummy consistence, and is 

 more clammy in the mouth than sago ; it may, by adding 

 either moss or water, be made to almost any consistence. It 

 is so palatable, that all who taste it generally grow fond of it. 

 It is remarkably good and pleasing when used to thicken any 

 kind of broth, but it is generally most esteemed when boiled 

 in fish-liquor. 



The only method practised by those people to catch fish 

 either in Winter or Summer, is by angling and setting nets ; 

 both of which methods is attended with much superstition, 

 ceremony, and unnecessary trouble ; but I will endeavour to 

 describe them in as plain and brief a manner as possible. 



When they make a new fishing-net, which is always com- 

 posed of small thongs cut from raw deer-skins, they take a 

 number of birds bills and feet, and tie them, a little apart from 

 each other, to the head and foot rope of the net, and at the four 

 corners generally fasten some of the toes and jaws of the otters 

 and jackashes. The birds feet [329] and bills made choice 

 of on such occasions are generally those of the laughing goose, 

 wavey, (or white goose,) gulls, loons, and black-heads^; and 



[^ For fuller reference to these birds see pp. 396-405.] 



