n as a standing or material article of their food,
when compared to those just mentioned.

Of the sea-animals, the most common that we saw in use amongst them as
food is the porpoise; the fat or rind of which, as well as the flesh,
they cut in large pieces, and having dried them, as they do the
herrings, eat them without any farther preparation. They also prepare
a sort of broth from this animal, in its fresh state, in a singular
manner, putting pieces of it in a square wooden vessel or bucket, with
water, and then throwing heated stones into it. This operation
they repeat till they think the contents are sufficiently stewed or
seethed. They put in the fresh, and take out the other stones, with
a cleft stick, which serves as tongs; the vessel being always placed
near the fire for that purpose. This is a pretty common dish amongst
them, and, from its appearance, seems to be strong, nourishing food.
The oil which they procure from these and other sea-animals, is also
used by them in great quantities; both supping it alone, with a large
scoop or spoon made of horn, or mixing it with other food, as sauce.

It may also be presumed, that they feed upon other sea-animals, such
as seals, sea-otters, and whales; not only from the skins of the
two first being frequent amongst them, but from the great number of
implements of all sorts intended to destroy these different animals;
which clearly points out their dependence upon them; though perhaps
they do not catch them in great plenty, at all seasons; which seemed
to be the case while we lay there, as no great number of fresh skins,
or pieces of the flesh, were seen.

The same might, perhaps, be said of the land-animals, which, though
doubtless the natives sometimes kill them, appeared to be scarce at
this time; as we did not see a single piece of the flesh belonging
to any of them; and though their skins be in tolerable plenty, it is
probable that many of these are procured by traffic from other tribes.
Upon the whole, it seems plain, from a variety of circumstances, that
these people procure almost all their animal food from the sea, if we
except a few birds, of which the gulls or sea-fowl, which they shoot
with their arrows, are the most material.

As the Canadian pine-branches and sea-grass, on which the fish roe is
strewed, may be considered as their only winter vegetables; so, as
the spring advances, they make use of several others as they come in
season. The most common