Hoffman] GLUTTONY — MAPLE SUGAR 287 



this unusual gastronomic feat no evil results were noticeable two days 

 later. 



GORMANDISM 



The quantity and variety of food which some Indians are capable of 

 consuming is beyond the comprehension of a white man. This is so well 

 known that it is unnecessary to enter into lengthy discussion of the 

 subject, but for illustration two instances which came under my obser- 

 vation may be alluded to: 



The first occurrence was in 1871, while the author was ascending Col- 

 orado river. The expedition of which he was a member had secured the 

 services of sixteen Mohave Indians to assist in getting the small boats 

 over the numerous rapids and to do possible duty in event of an attack 

 from hostile tribes. On the first day out, sixteen rations were issued to 

 the chief, to serve his men for one day. A ration, at that time, was suf- 

 ficient to serve one man for two days; but when eleven of the Indians 

 reached camp that day, they demanded that food be served, being 

 unwilling to wait for the arrival of the other five, who were farther down 

 the river and who could not reach camp in time for the regular supper. 

 The consequence was that the sixteen rations were eaten at that meal 

 by eleven Indians, who even then threatened to desert unless the quan- 

 tity of food was increased. 



The second instance is that of an Apache woman at one of the mil- 

 itary posts in eastern Arizona, who, on receiving her rations for the 

 week, consumed all of the food at a sitting, trusting to her ability to 

 find sufficient tunas to sustain her until the next issue day. 



OFFENSIVE FOOD 



The Menomini Indians are not addicted to eating all kinds of reptiles, 

 insects, and other loathsome food, as was common to mauy of the tribes 

 of the Great Basin and of California. This form of diet may result from 

 having always lived in a country where game, fish, and small fruits 

 were found in greater or lesser abundance, and the evident relish with 

 which the so called Diggers, the Walapai, and others, devour grass- 

 hoppers, dried lizards, beef entrails, and bread made of grass-seed meal 

 mixed with crushed larva; of flies, would appear as disgusting to the 

 Menomini as to a Caucasian. 



MAPLE SUGAR 



Formerly large quantities of maple sugar were made annually, but 

 the ease with which cane sugar came to be obtained by barter from 

 traders' stores has gradually caused this industry to become almost 

 obsolete. Dr Jedidiah Morse, iu speaking of the French settlers at 

 Green Bay, Wisconsin, says: 



These people and the Meuominees, with whom, by the ties of relationship, they 

 are connected, make from the maple tree about one hundred thousand pounds of 

 sugar annually, and from three to four hundred gallons of molasses. These, with 



