104 ■ NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



a Day; and some Inhabitants of Canada, might draw twenty Hogs- 

 heads of it in one day, if they would thus cut and notch all the 

 Mapples on their respective Plantations. The gash do's no harm to 

 the tree. Of this Sap they make Sugar and Syrup, which is so 

 valuable that there can't be a better Remedy for fortifying the 

 Stomach.^ 



Bark was eaten by certain Indian tribes but seldom if ever by the 

 Iroquois. Their ancient enemies and captors, the Adirondacks,^ (in 

 iSeneca, Hadi'ondas, in Mohawk, Adirhon'daks, meaning, tree eaters) 

 ate bark in quantities. They were especially fond of the inside bark 

 of the top of the pine especially in the spring when it was full of 

 sweet sap. 



The Iroquois in emergencies ate elm and basswood bark^ and 

 perhaps other barks but it was never a general article of diet. Sassa- 

 fras bark and root as a carminative and aromatic was regarded with 

 favor, as were several other spicy barks. 



Maple wat'da' 



Sap owa"'no"gi' 



Sugar owa"'no" 



Syrup owa"'no"gi' 



Boiling sap goste"do" 



Saptime o'ga'not 



Sap runs o'ga'not 



He taps ha'ge'o'ta 



Sap spout nio"'geoda'kwa 



XVIII FOOD ROOTS, Okdea 



Root foods were not despised by the Iroquois but with few ex- 

 ceptions they were seldom used unless the scarcity of other foods 

 made it necessary. It is difficult at this time to enumerate all the 

 food roots used by the Iroquois since they have long since ceased to 

 use wild roots and tubers as food, preferring, of course, cultivated 



1 Lahontan. New Voyages to America. Lend. 1735. 1:249. 



2 Tree Eaters, a people so called (living between 300 and 400 miles' west 

 into the land) from their only Mihtuchquash, that is trees: They are Men- 

 eaters, they set no corne, but live' on the bark of Chestnut and Walnut 

 and other fine trees : They dry and eat this bark with the fat of beasts, 

 and sometimes men . . ." Roger Williams. Key. Reprint R. I. Hist. 

 Soc. Col. Providence 1827. vol. i. 



Rale mentions the use of green oak bark and " a kind of wood " which 

 he was compelled to eat for want of anything better while among the 

 Indians of the north St Lawrence valley. Jesuit Relations, 67:223. 



3 See Swetland. Captivity. 



