326 



ACCOUNT OP THE INDIANS, 



who subsist, during the greater part of the sum- 

 mer, on nothing but roots, and a kind of bread, 

 if it may be so called, made of the mossy stuff, 

 which grows on the spruce fir tree., and which 

 resembles the cobwebs, spun by spiders. This 

 substance contains a little nourishment. They 

 gather it from the trees, and lay it in a heap, on 

 which they sprinkle a little water, and then leave 

 it, for some time, to ferment After that, they 

 roll it up into balls, as large as a man's head, and 

 bake them in ovens, well heated, which are con- 

 structed in the earth. After having been baked 

 about an hour, they areitaken out for use.' This 

 substance is not very palata^; and it contains 

 but little nourishment. It will, however, barely 

 support life, for a considerable time. 



The Indians frequently eat the flesh of the 

 dog ; and our Canadian voyagers are as fond of it, 

 as of any other meat. I have frequently eaten of 

 them myself; and have found them as palatable 

 as a young pig, and much of the same flavour. 

 Trfese dogs are small ; and in shape, very much 

 resemble the wolf. The large dogs are of a dif- 

 ferent breed, and their flesh always has a rank 

 taste 5 but this is never the case with the small 

 kind. 



Perhaps I cannot more properly, than in this 

 connexion, state, that all the Indians, when they 



