Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-09-03
NUMBER -.
Learning from the 1ndianA

It is we'll known that the white peO-
pie obtained of the Indians the maize
which is one of the greatest staple
agricultural productions of the United
States to-day, and which still goes by
the name of Indian corn. In England,
and in the Bible, corn" ordinarily
means wheat, because it Is generally
applied to the grain from which the
bread Of the common people is made.
In Scotland, for this reason, "corn"
means oats; and In the United States
it means maize It is not generally
known, however, that the whites found
the Indians cultivating corn carefully.
and storing it up in bags and granaries ).
nor that the whites learned the art of.
making maple sugar from the Indians
before they knew much about any other
kind of sugar.
Gov. Bradford's account of the settle
ment Of the Plymouth Colony is con-
elusive as to the use the Indians made
of their corn On the occasion of the
Pilgrims very first landing on Cape
Cod, on the 10Th of November, 1920,
they found some deserted huts, and in
them "faire Indean baskets filed with
corne, and some in cares, faire and
good, Of divorce colours, which seemed
to them very goodly sight (haveing
never seen any schuch beforel."
The beauty of Indian corn, either
when growing or harvested, is certainly
a pleasant revelation to those who have
never seen it before.
Returning to their ship, the Pilgrims
"tooke with them parte of ye corne,
1>,,x,T I'D II tyn
men from Escholl, carried with them
of We fruits of we land and showed their
brethren; of which, 81 their returne>
they were marvelusly glad, and their
harris Encouraged"
Going once more to the same spot,
they found two deserted Indian houses,
and "also ther was found moro of their
corne, & of their beapes Of varions
COLOURS"
This is the first mention of New En-
gland beans. The Pilgrims helped
themselves from these Indian grana-
ries, intending to pay the natives after
wards.
AS to the making Of maple sugar,
the French settlers in Canada were
learning this art about the same time
that the Pilgrims were establishing
themselves ct Plymouth. Lesoarbot,
who wrote in 1905, has an account of
the Indians tapping the maple trees
for their sweet sap. Many other
French writer's, chiefly missionaries,
ering the sap in vessels made Of birch
have been us drink.
L 4 ~ 4
q missionary who went to Canada IN
1876, has left, in French, in his work
entitled "Nouvelle Relation de la Gas
pesie," an account of Indian maple
sirup-making and sugar making which
indicates that they had long possessed
the art. He wrote:
"As to the liquor Of the maple, which
is the sap of the tree itself, it is equally
as delicious to the French as to the
savages, who in spring time give them
selves to it with glad hearts. 1t AS
true, moreover, that it is very pleasant
and abundant in Gaspasia for from a
very little opening in the maple tree,
made by Ratchet, enough can be
distilled to make ten or dozen yes
sells OF it.
What appears to me very remark
able in the juice of the maple is. that
if, by boiling, the quantity be reduced
to one-third, it becomes a veritable
sirup, which hardens little by little
into sugar, taking on reddish color.
"Cf this sugar are made little cakes
or loaves (petits palms, which are sent
to France, and which in use often serve
we'll in default of French sugar.
II have myself" the good father
adds, "often mixed this sugar With
brandy, cloves, and cinnamon, which
made highly agreeable liquor"
TO this day maple sugar is brought
into Quebec in petjts pains and in
small cornucopias of birch bark.