Page:Economic History of Virginia Vol 1.djvu/198

 the men, and bearing the mats, acorns, corn, mortars, and every form of baggage. In the places where game was generally found, temporary wigwams were erected, and every preparation was made for a long stay. The same lodges were, in some instances, used for many years. Every kind of wild beast was slaughtered, without regard to age, sex, or condition; the old were destroyed as well as the young, and the pregnant female was struck down as thoughtlessly as the male. The Indians showed a particular fondness for bear meat, and always refused to barter it with the English except for the articles which they valued most highly, such as beads and copper. The tail of the beaver they also considered to be a great delicacy. They had no domestic fowls, although so many wild ducks, turkeys, and geese were found in the rivers.

In dressing fowls, the Indians were always careful to remove the feathers and entrails, but the scales and entrails were allowed to remain in the case of fish, being thrown away as the fish were eaten. In cooking the flesh of beasts, they either laid it directly on the live coals, or placed it on parallel sticks resting on four small posts inserted in the ground at the four corners of the fire, the heat of the fire gradually drying up the juices. The aboriginal method of cooking fish was either to lay them on hurdles raised above the fire, or to suspend them to sticks, and thus expose them to the flame, or to cover them with live coals and hot ashes; both fish and flesh were also broiled together in large earthen pots placed on heaps of dirt, the fire being kindled around the sides. Many kinds of vegetables were added to the mess, such as maize on the husk, peas and beans. The Indians also boiled