238 An Hijîorkal Journal of 



It is not an unpleafant Food, bat many People are perfuaded 

 that too frequent Ufe of it is prejudicial to Health, becaufe the Lye 

 gives it a corroiive Quality, the Effeds of which are felt in 

 Time. When the Maiz is in the Ear, and ftill green, fome 

 broil it on the Coals, and it has a very good Taile* Our Cana- 

 dians call it Bled groule^ There is a particular Sort that opens 

 as foon as it is laid on the Fire, they call it Bled fleuri 9 and it 

 IS very delicate. This is what they treat Strangers with. They 

 carry it in fome Places to Perfons of Diftindion, who arrive in a 

 Village, much in the fame Manner as they do in France the Pre- 

 fent of a Town. 



Laftly, it is of this Grain they make the Sagzmitty^ which is 

 Of the Sae-amit- common Food of the Savages. For 



S * this Purpofe they begin by broiling it, then 

 ^* they pound it, and take off the Hulk, then 



they make a Sort of Broth with it, which is infipid enough 

 when they have no Meat, or Prunes to give it a Relifh. They 

 fometimes reduce it to Flour, which they call here Farine froide 

 (cold F lour) y and this is the beft Provifion that can be made for 

 Travellers. Thofe who travel on Foot cannot carry any other. 

 They alfo boil the Maiz in the Ear, while it is ftill foft, then 

 they broil it a little, they get out the Grain, and dry it ip the 

 Sun ; this they keep a long Time, and the Sagamitty they make 

 of it has a very good Tafte. 



You will perceive. Madam, by the Detail of thefe MefTes, 

 that the Savages are not nice in their eating. We fhould think 

 that they have a very depraved Tafte, if it was'poffible to make a 

 £xed Rule for Tafte. They love Greafe, and it predominates in 

 all their Difties, if they can get it. A few Pounds of Candles 

 in a Kettle of Sagamitty makes them think it excellent. They 

 even fometimes put Things into it which cannot be mentioned, 

 and they are furprifedto fee our Stomachs turn at them. 



The Nations of the South had only Veftels of baked Earth to 

 drefs their Me^t. In the North they ufed Kettles of Wood, and 

 they made the Water boil by throwing in Flints made red hot. 

 They found our Iron and Tin Kettles much more convenient, 

 and this is the Merchandize which we are fure to iînd a Vend for 

 when we trade with them. In the Nations of the Weft, the 

 wild Oats fupply the Want of Maiz : It is quite as wholefome, 

 and if it is not fo nourifliing, the Flefti of the Buffalo, which 

 abounds in thefe Parts, makes Amends for it. . 



Among the wandering Savages, who never cultivate the 

 r\r h PI Earth, when the Chace and the Fiftiery fail, 

 U/ the Kock their only Refource is a Kind of Mofs, which 

 Tnpe, and rotten ^^^^^ ^^^^^.^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ 



French People call Tripe of the Rocks. No- 

 tWng is more infipid than this Mofs, which has but little Sub- 



ftî^nce: 



