30 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 190 



When they went on the warpath uito the enemy's country, the 

 Huron carried on their backs a bag full of cornmeal that had been 

 roasted and scorched in the ashes. They ate this just as it was, 

 without soaking or even softening it in water. ^^ Thus they did not 

 have to make a fire in order to prepare their food, although they 

 sometimes did. In this case it was made in the depths of the forest 

 to prevent it from being seen. The cornmeal lasted from 6 weeks 

 to 2 months, after which they had to return to their village. Some 

 then set out for war again with another supply of food (S 153). 



For weapons they used a wooden club (S 98, 154) and bow and 

 arrow. The arrows were made with a knife or a sharp-edged stone, 

 if the maker had no knife. They were fletched with the tail and wing 

 feathers of eagles, as these were strong and flew well. But lacking 

 eagle feathers, others might be used. Points of sharp-pointed stones 

 or bones or iron heads were attached to the arrows with strong 

 fish glue (S 98, 154). A quiver of tanned dog skin was worn like a 

 scarf (S 154) . Animals' guts were used to make bow strings (S 98) .^ 



They also wore a sort of armor and cuirass, Avhich they called 

 aquientor^ on their back, legs, and other parts of the body for pro- 

 tection against arrows. Although it provided protection against 

 arrows tipped with stone points, it was ineffectual against those with 

 iron points. The cuirasses were made of white rods cut the same length 

 and pressed against one another, very tightly sewn and interlaced with 

 little cords. They also used a shield (S 154) . Some shields (of cedar) 

 covered almost the whole body (and smaller ones of boiled leather were 

 also made) (S98).3'> 



An ensign or flag, a round piece of tree bark painted with the 

 armorial bearings of the town or province and fastened to the end 

 of a long stick, was used (S 154) . 



On days of important business and rejoicing, as well as when they 

 went on the warpath, the Indians wore a kind of plume, most of 

 them around the head standing up like a crown and others sloping 

 down like a moustache, made of the long hair of the moose dyed a 

 scarlet red glued to a leather band 3 fingers wide and long enough 

 to go around the head (S 155) . *° 



<" Corn is Still prepared in this way (see footnote 10, p. 69). 



*« The Iroquois had similar weapons (Beauchamp 1905 : 122-126 ; Morgan 1850 : 70-74 ; 

 1852: 105, 108; 1901(2) : 13-16), but it has been suggested that the spear may not have 

 been an aboriginal weapon (Morgan 1852: 105; see also Beauchamp 1905: 120-121). 



'"The Iroquois also had similar armor and shields (Beauchamp 1905: 127-128). 



*" The wearing of special dress on the warpath and on certain other occasions survives 

 today in two Iroquois dances in which costumes are worn. One of these dances, the 

 Thanksgiving Dance, is now remembered as having once been a war dance. Although the 

 costumes usually now worn for these dances are of a Plains type (or what Whites think 

 Indians should wear), the older headdress, a twirling feather attached to a cap (see 

 Morgan 1901(1) : 253-254), bears a resemblance to the Huron headdress described by 

 Sagard. 



