““When the explorer and the settler started to invade the forests, mountains, and streams of the Indian, they soon found that their hard-soled, heavy boot was not a suitable type of footwear for crawling over slippery rocks and fallen trees, and walking along ledges. Their boots became heavy when wet, and refused to dry out over night; and, after getting wet and drying out a few times, the leather cracked open. The pioneers soon found that the soft moccasin worn by the Indian was ideal. The name for the soft skin shoe of the North American Indian is derived from the Eastern Algonquin dialect “Mockasin” or “Mawhcasun.” With the exception of some of the Indians living along the Mexican boundary, who generally went barefooted, the moccasin was almost universally worn.””
