The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-08-13
THE DISCOVERY OF MAPLE SUGAR.
Ahe Indian story IL True.

1
was made of aboriginal methods OF
tapping the maple and converting its
sap into sugar, nor is the Oldest maple
old enough to tell us, though 1t had the
gift OF speech or sign-malting intelligi-
bic to us. We can only guess that the
primitive Algonquin laboriously In
1 iiicted a barbarous wound with his
stone hatchet, and with a stone gouge
cut place for a spout, so far setting
the fashion, which was long followed
by white men, with only the difference
that better tools made possible. Or we
may guess that the Indian, taking 0
hint from his little red brother, Nj
quasese, the squirrel, who taps the
smooth barked branches. broke these
of and caught the sap In suspended
vessels of birch bark, than which nc
cleaner and sweeter receptacle could
be imagined. Doubtless the boiling
was done in the earthen kokhs, or pots
some of which had a capacity OF sew
eral gallons. According to Indian
myths, 1t was taught by heaven-sent
instructor
The true story OF the discovery OF
maple sugar making Is in the legend
of Woksis, the mighty hunter. Going
forth one morning to the chase, he bade
Moqua, the squaw Of his bosom, to
have a choice cut of moose meat boil
ed for him when he should return, and
that she might be reminded Of the time
he stuck a stake in the snow, and made
straight mark out from 1t In the place
where its shadow would then fall. She
promised strict compliance, and, as he
departed she hewed off the desired It'd
bit with her sharpest stone knife, and,
filling her best kokh with clean snow
for melting, hung 1t over the fire. Then
she sat down on bearskin and began
embroidering pair of moccasins with
Yariously dyed porcupine quills.
This was labor of love, for the
moccasns, of the finest deerskin, were
for her lord. She became so absorbed
in the work that the kokh was forgot
ten till the bark cord that suspended
1t was burned off, and II spilled its
contents on the fire with startling,
quenching, scattering explosion that
filled the wigwam with steam and
smoke. She lifted the overturned ves-
sci from the embers and ashes by
stick thrust into its four-cornered
mouth, and when it was cool enough &c
handle she repaired it with new bail
of bark, and the kokh was ready for
service again. But the shadow OF the
stake had swung so far toward the
mark that she knew there was not time
to melt snow to boil the dinner.
Happily, she bethought her OF the
great maple behind the wigwam, tap
ped merely for the provision Of pleas
ant drink, but the sweet water might
serve a better purpose now. So she
filled the kokh with sap and hung 1t
over the mended fire. In spite Of i'm
patient watching, 1t presently began
to boil, whereupon she popped the am
pie ration Of moose meat into II and set
a cake of pounded corn to bake on the
tilted slab before the fire. Then she
resumed her embroidery, In which the
sharp point OF each thread supplied ttA
own needle.
The work grew more and more in
teresting. The central figure, her hus-
bands totem OF the bear, was becoming
so lifelike that 1t could easily be dis.
tinguished from the wolves, eagles, and
turtles of the other tribal clans. In
Inauguration she already beheld the
moccasins on the feet Of her noble
Woksis, now stealing in awful silence
along the war path, now on the neck
of the fallen foe, now returning jubi.
liant with triumph or fleeing homeward
from defeat, to ease the shame OF fall
ure by kicking her, in which case she
felt herself bearing, as ever, her use
full part. So she dreamed and worked,
stitch by stitch, while the hours passeu
unheeded, the shadow crept past the
mark, the kokh boiled low, and the
cake gave forth the smell of burning.
Alas! the cake was a blackened crisp,
and 10! the once juicy piece OF meat
was a shrivelled morsel in the midst
of a gummy, dark brown substance.
She snatched kokh and cake from
the fire, and then, hearing her husband
coming, she ran and hid herself in the
nearest thicket of evergreens, for she
knew that when he found not where
with to appease the rage OF hunger
he would be seized with more terri
BILE one against her. Listening while
with quaking heart, and catching no
alarming sound, but aware instead OF
an unaccountable silence, she ventured
forth and peeped into the wigwam.
Woksis sat by the fire eating with
his fingers from the kokh, while his
face shone with an expression of SUI
preme content and enjoyment. With
wonder she watched him devour the
er when she saw him deliberately
break the earthen pot and lick the last
vestige of spoiled cookery from the
shards. She could not restrain a sur
prised cry, and, discovering her, he
addressed her:
20, woman of women! Didst thou
conceive this marvel of cookery, or has
Klose-kur-B been thy instructor"
Being woman, she had the wit to
withhold the exact truth, but permit
ted him to believe whatever he would
Let me embrace thee," he cried, and
upon his lips she tasted the first maple
sugar.
The discovery was made public, and
kokhs of sap were presently boiling in
every wigwam. All were anxious to
get every atom of the precious sweet
that they broke the kokhs and scraped
the pieces, just as Koksis. the first su
gar eater, had done. And that is why
there are so many fragments OF broken
pottery and so few whole vessels to be
found.-Atlantic Monthly.