334 ACCOUNT OP THE INDIANS. 



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sugar, from the maple tree, which they dispose of 

 to the North West Company, for cloth and other 

 articles. As soon as the animals become scarce, 

 that are hunted for their furs, the Natives must 

 till the ground for subsistence, or live upon fish. 

 This state of things already exists, in many places ; 

 and must, in all probability, be extended. 



The Indians sometimes take the largest fish, 

 such as sturgeon, trout, and some white fish, with 

 spears. At other times, they take their fish in 

 drag-nets or scoop-nets. But the more general 

 way of taking them is the following. They have 

 nets, of from twenty to sixty fathoms, in length, 

 which contain from twelve to forty meshes, of 

 from two to seven inches in depth. Upon lines, 

 which are fixed upon each side of the net, for 

 the purpose of strengthening it, they fasten, oppo- 

 site to each other, a small stone and a wooden 

 buoy, once in about the distance of two fathoms. 

 The net is carefully thrown into the water, and 

 by means of the stones on the one side, and the 

 buoys on the other, it becomes extended, to its 

 full breadth. The ends of the net, which forms a 

 semicircle, are secured by stones ; and it is visited 

 every day, and taken out of the water ever second 

 day, to be cleaned and dried. This is a very 

 easy operation, when the water is not frozen. 

 But the ice which, at some places, acquires the 



