"The Indians, my lady, sew with the sinews of the wild animals they kill. These sinews are much stronger and tougher than thread, and therefore are well adapted to sew together such things as moccasins, leggings, and garments made of the skins of wild animals. The finer threads are used for sewing the beads and quill ornaments on moccasins, sheaths, and pouches, besides other things that I cannot now think of.
"Oh yes, I must tell you one thing more they make with these sinews. How do you think the Indian women carry their infants when they go on a long journey? They tie them to a board, and wrap them up in strong bandages of linen or cotton, which they sew firmly together with their stoutest thread, and then they suspend the odd-looking burden to their backs. By this contrivance, they lessen the weight of the child considerably, and are able to walk many miles without showing signs of fatigue. It is also much more pleasant and healthy for the child than to be uncomfortably cramped up in its mother's arms, and shifted about from side to side, as first one arm aches, and then the other.
"The Indian women sew some things with the roots of the tamarack, or larch; such as coarse birch-baskets, hark canoes, and the covering of their wigwams. They call this 'wah-tap' [Footnote: Asclepia parvilfora.] (wood-thread), and they prepare it by pulling off the outer rind and steeping it in water. It is the larger fibres which have the appearance of small cordage when coiled up and fit for use. This 'wah-tap' is very valuable to these poor Indians. There is also another plant, called Indian hemp, which is a small shrubby kind of milk-weed, that grows on gravelly islands. It bears white flowers, and the branches are long and slender; under the bark there is a fine silky thread covering the wood; this is tough, and can be twisted and spun into cloth. It is very white and fine, and does not easily break. There are other plants of the same family, with pods full of fine shining silk; but these are too brittle to spin into thread. This last kind, Lady Mary, which is called Milk-weed flytrap, I will show you in summer." [Footnote: Asclepia Syrica.]
But while Mrs. Frazer was talking about these plants, the little lady was examining the contents of the small birch-box. "If you please, nurse, will you tell me what these dark shining seeds are?"
"These seeds, my dear, are Indian rice; an old squaw, Mrs. Peter Noggan, gave me this as a present for 'Governor's daughter;'" and Mrs. Frazer imitated the soft, whining tone of the Indian, which made Lady Mary laugh.
"The box is called a 'mowkowk.' There is another just like it, only there is a white bird—a snow bird, I suppose it is intended for—worked on the lid." The lid of this box was fastened down with a narrow slip of deer skin, Lady Mary cut the fastening, and raised the lid—"Nurse, it is only yellow sand, how droll, to send me a box of sand!"
"It is not sand, taste it, Lady Mary."
"It is sweet—it is sugar! Ah! now I know what it is that this kind old squaw has sent me, it is maple-sugar, and is very nice I will go and show it to mamma."
"Wait a little, Lady Mary, let us see what there is in the basket besides the rice and the maple sugar."
"What a lovely thing this is, dear nurse! what can it be?"