" Lady Mary lifted one of the lids, and took out another small basket,
of a different shape and pattern. It had a top, which was sewn down with
coarse-looking thread, which her nurse told her was nothing but the sinews
of the deer, dried and beaten fine, and drawn out like thread. Then,
taking an end of it in her hand, she made Lady Mary observe that these
coarse threads could be separated into a great number of finer ones,
sufficiently delicate to pass through the eye of a fine needle, or to
string tiny beads.
"The Indians, my lady, sew with the sinews of the wild animals they kill.
These sinews are much stronger and tougher than thread, and therefore are
well adapted to sew together such things as moccasins, leggings, and
garments made of the skins of wild animals. The finer threads are used for
sewing the beads and quill ornaments on moccasins, sheaths, and pouches,
besides other things that I cannot now think of.
"Oh yes, I must tell you one thing more they make with these sinews. How
do you think the Indian women carry their infants when they go on a long
journey? They tie them to a board, and wrap them up in strong bandages of
linen or cotton, which they sew firmly together with their stoutest
thread, and then they suspend the odd-looking burden to their backs.
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