OF THE FUR TRADE, ‘&c. Cxxi

are fewn together, the latter reaching upwards to the middle, and being
fupported by a belt, under which a {mall piece of leather is drawn to
cover the private parts, the ends of which fall down both before and
behind. In the fhoes they put the hair of the moofe or rein-deer with
additional pieces of leather as focks. The fhirt or coat, when girted
round the waift, reaches to the middle of the thigh, and the mittens
are fewed to the fleeves, or are fufpended by ftrings from the fhoulders,
A ruff or tippet furrounds the neck, and the {kin of the head of the deer
forms a curious kind of cap. A robe, made of feveral deer or fawn
{kins fewed together, covers the whole. This drefs is worn fingle or
double, but always in the winter, with the hair within and without.
Thus arrayed, a Chepewyan will lay himfelf down on the ice in the
middle of a lake, and repofe in comfort; though he will fometimes find
a difficulty in the morning to difencumber himfelf from the {now drift-
ed on him during the night. If in his paflage he fhould be in want of
provifion, he cuts an hole in the ice, when he feldom fails of taking
fome trout or pike, whofe eyes he inftantly fcoops out, and eats as a
great delicacy ; but if they fhould not be fufficient to fatisfy his appe-
tite, he will, in this neceffity make his meal of the fifh in its raw
ftlate; but, thofe whom I faw, preferred to drefs their victuals when
circumftances admitted the neceflary preparation, When they are in
that part of their country which does not produce a fufficient quan-
tity of wood for fuel, they are reduced to the fame exigency, though
they generally dry their meat in the fun.*

The

* The provifion called Pemican, on which the Chepewyans, as well as the other favages of this
country, chiefly fubfift in their journies, is prepared in the following manner. The lean parts of the
flefh of the larger animals are cut in thin flices, and are placed on a wooden grate over a flow fire, or

q expoted