Hayne & Taylor re Yukon CJ

[David Robertson]

Klahowya!

Dig my new signature file, at the end of this message...

Now:

Hayne, MHE and H West Taylor, "The pioneers of the Klondyke:  Being an
account of two years police service in the Yukon."  London:  Sampson Low,
Marston, 1897.

*page 87:  'The Indians talk a mixture of English and Hudson Bay
[presumably Chinook Wawa] trading jargon -- a word here and a word there,
and the rest by signs.'

*page 91:  '...supply of whisky was very limited ... it was found
necessary to create some sort of supply to meet the demand.  This
concoction was known as "hooch"; and disgusting as it is, it is doubtful
if it is much more poisonous than the whisky itself.  This latter goes by
the name of "Forty rod whisky" -- a facetious allusion to its supposed
power of killing at that distance!
	'The manufacture of "hooch", which is undertaken by the shop -
keepers themselves, is weirdly horrible.  It is as follows:
	'Take of sugar of molasses an unlimited quantity; add a small
percentage of dried fruit or, in summer, of berries; ferment with sour
dough; flavour to tast with anything handy -- the "higher" flavoured the
better -- such as old boots, discarded (and unwashed) foot-rags, and other
delicacies of a similar nature.  After fermentation, place in a rough sort
of s[t]ill, for preference an empty coal-oil (kerosene) tin, and serve hot
according to taste.'

This is in reference to another growing side interest of mine, the status
of Yukon Chinook Jargon.  Looks pretty marginal, if we take these 2 light
- hearted fellas at face value.

Cheer!
Dave

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