The Most Esteemed Part Of The Animal Is The
Hump, Called By The Canadians Bos, By The Hudson's Bay People The Wig; It
Is Merely A Strong Muscle On Which Nature At Certain Seasons Forms A
Considerable Quantity Of Fat.
It is attached to the long spinous
processes of the first dorsal vertebrae and seems to be destined to
support the enormous head of the animal.
The meat which covers the spinal
processes themselves after the wig is removed is next in esteem for its
flavour and juiciness and is more exclusively termed the hump by the
hunters.
The party was prevented from visiting a Stone Indian encampment by a
heavy fall of snow, which made it impracticable to go and return the same
day. We were dissuaded from sleeping at their tents by the interpreter at
the North-West post who told us they considered the whooping-cough and
measles, under which they were now suffering, to have been introduced by
some white people recently arrived in the country, and that he feared
those who had lost relatives, imagining we were the persons, might vent
their revenge on us. We regretted to learn that these diseases had been
so very destructive among the tribes along the Saskatchewan as to have
carried off about three hundred persons, Crees and Asseenaboines, within
the trading circle of these establishments. The interpreter also informed
us of another bad trait peculiar to the Stone Indians. Though they
receive a visitor kindly at their tents and treat him very hospitably
during his stay yet it is very probable they will despatch some young men
to waylay and rob him in going towards the post:
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 158 of 649
Words from 42585 to 42863
of 176017
