280 TIIK HUDSON BAY ESKIMO. 



poi'taiit i)(>rtioii of tlie Iiidiiin's diet. Wolveriues, wolves, and foxes 

 are never eaten. 



Fish of various kinds are plentiful. The lakes and streams abound 

 with salmon in summer, and trout, white fish, suckers, and a few less 

 common si)ecies are eagerly sought for food. Fish are caught with the 

 hook or net. Fishing througli holes in the ice affords au ample supply 

 of fine trout, and the net set along the shore upon the disappearance 

 of the ice is sure to reap a ricli haul of white fish, suckers, and trout. 



In the preparation of the food little care is exercised to preveut its 

 coming iu contact with objectionable substances. The deer meat is 

 laid upon the stones of the beach and particles of grit imbed them- 

 selves in the substance. The flesh for cooking is often drojjped into 

 the vessels in which the tallow or marrow is being rendered. Neither 

 children nor adults have any regular periods of eating, but appear to 

 be always hungry. It is thus not unusual to see a filthy child thrust 

 its hand into- the cooling fat to obtain a choice portion of meat as it 

 settles to the bottom. 



The dry meat is often pounded into a coarse powder by means of 

 stone or metal pestles. The meat is placed npon a smooth, hard stone 

 for this purpose. The ligaments are iiicked out, and when a sufficient 

 quantity has been prepared it is put info baskets or bags and stored 

 away for future use. The cracked bones from which the marrow was 

 extracted are calcined and reduced to powder and used as an absorbent 

 of the fat from the skins in the process of tanning. 



The unborn young of the reindeer, taken from the mother in the 

 spring, are considered a prime delicacy by Indians, as well as Eskimo. 

 The eggs of various species of birds are eagerly sought for, and it mat- 

 ters little whether they are fresh or far advanced in incubation. The 

 embryo bird, with the attached yolk of the egg, is swallowed with 

 infinite gusto. The Indian seldom eats raw flesh unless dried meat be 

 excepted. 



Enough has been written concerning the reindeer to show that with- 

 out it the very existence of the Indian would be imperiled. Both food 

 and clothing, tlie prime necessities of life, are obtained from the 

 animal, aiul its numbers do not seem to decrease with the merciless or 

 thoughtless slaughter. Hundreds of carcases are never utilized. I 

 counted 173 carcases on one side of the river in going a distance of 

 about SO miles, and when I came to their camps I saw incredible piles 

 of meat and skins going to waste. The winter months are occupied 

 by men in hunting the various fur-bearing animals, the prlnciiial of 

 which are white, red, cross, and black or silver foxes, martens, minks, 

 wolverines, wolves, muskrats, and beavers: these are abundant. Few 

 lynxes and bear are obtained. A considerable number of others are 

 found in this region and afford fine skins. 



Steel ti'aps are generally set, various sizesof traps being used for the 

 ditt'ereut animals. A great number of otter and beaver are shot in the 



