ched
and beaten to powder. When they find their stomach empty, (and cannot
stay for the tedious cookery of other things,) they put about a spoonful
of this into their mouths and drink a draught of water upon it, which
stays their stomachs, and enables them to pursue their journey without
delay. But their main dependence is upon the game they kill by the way,
and the natural fruits of the earth. They take no care about lodging in
these journeys, but content themselves with the shade of a tree or a
little high grass.

When they fear being discovered or followed by an enemy in their
marches, they every morning, having first agreed where they shall
rendezvous at night, disperse themselves into the woods, and each takes
a several way, that so the grass or leaves being but singly pressed, may
rise again and not betray them. For the Indians are very artful in
following a track, even where the impressions are not visible to other
people, especially if they have any advantage from the looseness of the
earth, from the stiffness of the grass, or the stirring of the leaves,
which in the winter season lie very thick upon the ground; and likewise
afterwards, if they do not happen to be burned.

When in their travels they meet with any waters which are not fordable,
they make canoes of birch bark, by slipping it whole off the tree in
this manner: First, they gash the bark quite round the tree, at the
length they would have the canoe off, then slit down the length from end
to end; when that is done, they with their tomahawks easily open the
bark and strip it whole off. Then they force it open with sticks in the
middle, slope the under side of the ends and sow them up, which helps to
keep the belly open; or if the birch trees happen to be small they sow
the bark of two together. The seams they daub with clay or mud, and then
pass over in these canoes, by two, three, or more at a time, according
as they are in bigness. By reason of the lightness of these boats, they
can easily carry them over land, if they foresee that they are like to
meet with any more waters that may impede their march; or else they
leave them at the water side, making no farther account of them, except
it be to repass the same waters in their return. See the resemblance,
Tab. 6.

Sec. 20. They have a peculiar way of receiving strangers, and
distinguishing whether they come as friends or enemies, though they do
not understand each other's language: and that is by a