The sun., 1902-10-05
MAINE INDIAN SALMON.
Use Made by Abenakis OF Fungus Growing
on Birchcs.

SHIRLEY, Me. Oct s.-Few persons who
see the Indians Of the Abenaki tribe loafng
about the reservation island above Old
Town can discover any craft or invention
In a Maine Indian. Take this same red
man into the woods and give him some-
thing to do and he rises to the occasion
Thomas Duane Of New York and his
friend, James Cook Of Washington. who
have just returned from a months fishing
jaunt around Lobster Lake, are telling
many stories about the skill displayed by
Charles Anance, French and Indian
hybrid who acted as their guide during the
trip,
They caught a lot Of trout and shot
few partridges just before starting TO
come out and when the canoe emerged on
Chamberlain Lake il was loaded 20 deeply
that it was upset when half way Across the
lake and the whole outfit sank in 800 feet
Of water.
When the men had rightsd the canoe
and reached the shore they were more
than fifty miles from the nearest camp
where meal could be. had. and were with
out any kind Of food, Mr.. Duane had a
few matches in a bottle in his pocket, and
lighted a fire and cooked some lily bulbs
which Anance said were good to eat
The next morning they made breakfast
on wild hackberries and started out for
Ross camp. sixty miles away, leaving
heir canoe and paddles on the shore Of the
lake.
we we're very hungry when We began
our tramp said Mr.. Duane. and by noon
7 could 90 no further 80 | told the boys
10 60 on and let ma shift for myself Anance
came back and took me 10y the arm, saying;
Keep oop YOU courage, sieur. Pretty
kvcek we's bin com to ze spring war
Ah'm bin gnet you ~ salmon. You bin
eet ze salmon an bin 60 on lax new.
Knowing there were no salmon IN that
wilderness | felt sure the Indian was losing
his mind hut ! mustered mp what strength
| had lef, and staggered along for two hours,
when we reached a great spring which
boiled up from bod a yellow mica sand.
Ananco stripped Of his clothes, and wading
until the water was above his waist. ran his
hand down into the sand and brought up
two large fungi, or toadstools, such a.
grow on the sides of dead birch trees.
He brought them ashore, and, kindling
fire, soon had the reddish yellow Jumps
Of vegetation broling in great shape A.
soon a. the mess was done to sui, the taste
Of the cook, he broke one mushroom in two
and passed the fragments TO Cook and me,
telling us to eat them.
Hunger had made me desperate, so was
willing To try anything. Hence my sur.
prise and pleasure were very great when ]
put my teeth into the pulpy food and found
il very palatabe,
"In short time we had eaten all that
Anance had in storage. and, greatly re-
freshed, we lot out few holes In our belts
and went on. reaching the camp late that
night and making the longest journey on
foot that | shall ever take.
The guide told me that he had picked
our dinner from some dead birches two
years before. and had stored it in the spring
to keep It fresh 80 that he could dig il out
and eat it if he was ever near the spring
and in need of food. When We came 10
Greenville I was informed that nearly all
the Maine Indians gather these fungi in
June, when they are tender. and submerge
them in cool water, where they will keep
fresh for years
The inside Of the fungus IL sweet and
tender, having flavor which is not at all
like salmon, though II tasted very good to
hungry men, ] assure you.
"On looking up the name Of this edible
fungus in the cyclopRdias find il bears
the scientific name Of Polypodium, and is
known locally rs the bracket fungus, So
called because 1t grows out from the sides
of decayng trees and forms a shelf or
bracket