Skin shoes

[David Robertson]

Waring, Guy.  1936.  My pioneer past.  Boston: Bruce Humphries.

About 1886:

Describing clothing customs of the Colville Indians:
‘
ordinarily the Indians wore overalls like the rest of us.  The squaws 
dressed in calico garments and “skin-shoes” or moccasins, fitted carefully 
to the foot.  The men also wore moccasins except when riding.’  (p. 124)

Wondering if Waring was just describing the footwear or instead using 
Jargon for local color, I did a bit of googling.  I couldn't find any 
examples where "skin shoes" has been used as a phrase of general English.  
You can find plenty of examples of "alligator / fish / leopard skin shoes" 
and so on, but this phrase really is Chinook Jargon.  

There's a good deal more evidence in Waring's book of CJ being used where 
he settled (fairly near Osoyoos, BC, but on the American side by Mt. 
Chopaka).  And as I wrote in an article a couple of years ago, the Okanagan 
was a real hotbed of Jargon.  

--Dave R

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