cd to your wais source directory (e.g. ~/wais-sources) 

    Create a mail.fmt file like the following: 

 record-sep: /^From / # alternatively use your mail-separartor
 layout:
 headline: /^From: / /\J/ 20 /^From: ./
 headline: /^Subject: / /\J/ 80 /^Subject: ./

 region: /^From: /
 from SOUNDEX LOCAL TEXT BOTH
 end: /$/

 region: /^Subject: /
 subject stemming TEXT BOTH
 end: /$/

    Run 'waisindex -d mail -t fields <files>'