Iron County register., 1899-02-23
DISCOVERY OF MAPLE SUGAR.
Like azany Others. 1t Was Accidental. Ef
rhe Indian story l. True

II A0SS 44ON 1fgNSA1 AAA4A NA&-I 4NNH~%@
was made OF aboriginal methods of tap
ping the maple and converting its sap
into sugar, nor is the oldest maple old
enough to tell US, though ii had the
gift of speech OR slgn-makng intelli-
gible 10 US. We can only guess that the
primitive Algonquin laboriously in
hicted a barbarous wound with his
stone hatchet, and with n stone gouge
cut n place for spout, so far setting
the fashion, which was long followed
by white men, with only the difference
thzt better tools made possible. Or
we NAV guess that The Indian, taking
a hint from his little red brother.
Niquasese. the squirrel, who taps the
smooth-barked branches, broke these
off and caught the sap in suspended YES
sells of birch bark, than which no clean
er 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. it wa taught by Heaven-sent
instructor.
The true story of the discovery OF
maple sugar making is in the legend
of Noksis, the mighty hunter. Going
forth one morning 10 the chase, he
bade Moqua, the squaw OF his bosom,
to have a choice cut of moose meat
boiled for him when ne should return,
and that she might be reminded Of the
time stuck a stake IN the snow. and
made a straight mark out from 1t IN
the place where its shadow would then
fall. She promised strict compliance.
and. as be departed. she hewed off the
desired tidbit with her sharpest stone
knife, and. filling her best kokh with
clean snow for melting. hung ii over
the fire. Then she II down on a bear
skin and began enlbToidering pair Of
moccasins with variuusly dyed porcu-
pine quills.
This was q labor OF love. for the moo
casins. of the finest deerskin, were for
her lord. She became SO absorbed in
the work that the kokh was forotten
till the bark cord that suspended ii was
burned of, and it spilled its contents
on the fire with a startling, guenching,
scattering explosion that filed the wig
wan with steam and smoke. She lifted
the overturned vessel from the embers
and ashes by a stick thrust into It's
four-cornered mouth. and when it was
cool enough TO handle she repaired ii
with a new bail Of bark, and the kollh
was ready for service again. But the
shadow of the stake had swung so near
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. tapped
merely for the provision of pleasant
| drink but the sweet water might serve
& better purpose now. So she filed tho
kokh with sap and hung IL over the
mended fire In spite of impatient
| watching, it presently began to boil.
whereupon she popped the ample ration
of moose meat into it 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 its 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 it could easily be dis
tinguished from the wolves. eagles and
| turtles of the other tribal clans. In
imagination she already beheld the
moccasins on the feet of her noble Wok-
sis. now stealing m awful silence along
the war path, now on the neck of the
fallen foe now returning jubilanf with
triumph or fleeing homeward from de-
! feat. TO ease the shame of failure by
kicking her, in which case she felt her
| self bearing, as ever, her useful part.
So she dreamed and worked. stitch by
stitch. while the hours passed un-
needed, the shadow cIept past the mark.
/ the kokh boiled low, and the cake gave
forth the smell of burning. Alas. the
cake was bIackened crisp. and 10. 1he
once juicy piece of meat was shTfv-
eled Inorsel in the midst OF Z guu1Iny,
dark brown substance
She snatched kollh and cake from the
fire and then. hearing her husband
+ coming. she ran and hid herself in the
nearest thiclzet Of evergreens, for she
f, knew that when he found not where
with 10 appease the rage of hunger
he would be seized with a more terrible
one against her. Listening awhile
with a guaking heart. and catching nc
alarming sound. but aware instead OF
HI unaccountabIe silence. she ventured
forth and peePed into the wigwam-
! Wolzsis sat by tine fire eating with
mis- fingers from the kokh. while his
face sbone with an expression Of su-
/ preme content and enjoyment. With
wonder she watched him devour the
! last moTsel. but her wonder was greater
when she saw him deliberately break
/ the earLhen pot and lick the last vestige
/ of spoiled cookery from the shards-
| She could not restrain a surprised cry
/ and discovering her, ne addressed herr
&c woman of wo7nenl Didst thou
! conceive this marvel of cookery, or has
klose-kur-Beh been Thy instructor
Being a woman. she had the Wit to
withhold the exact truth hut permitted
! him TO believe whateSeI ne would.
Let me embrace thee" he cried, and
upon his lips she tasted the first maple
sugar
The discovery was made public, ant
kolhs OF sap were presently boiling
in every wigxam. Al were SO anxious
TO get every atom of the precious sweet
that they broke the kokhs and scraped
the pieces, just as Noksis- the first
sugar-eater. had done. And that is
why there are so many fragments Of
broken pottery and SO few whole vessels
10 be found.-A1lantic MONTHLY.