PREPARATION OF ACORNS FOR FOOD, 835 
The squaws collect them in a large conical carrying basket like that 
represented in fig. TL. These are carried on the back, but are sus- 
pended by a broad band from the forehead. Both hands are therefore 
free for picking up the acorns, which are thrown backward with uner- 
ring aim into the basket. As much as seyen or cight large basket fuls— 
some 400 or 500 pounds may thus he gathered by one family for a 
year’s supply. At home the nuts are first spread out in the sun until 
thoroughly dry. when they are sometimes cracked either with the 
teeth or by means of a small stone and still further dried for future 
use, or are stored away in the houses with the shells on. In former 
years special receptacles made of coarse withes were erected and these 
Fig, 72.—Separator for removing coarse particles of acorn meal, 
were more or less directly exposed to the weather. Considerable care 
ix exercised in keeping them from becoming moldy. 
When ready for use the kernels are usually dry and rather brittle. 
They are first thoroughly pulverized in a curious mortar, which con- 
sists essentially of three parts—a large, flat stone; a shallow, basin- 
like, but bottomless basket, and a stone pestle. These various parts 
are shown in PL XVIII, fig. 2. The basket is held in place on the 
stone by the legs of the operator -always an old squaw or w superanu- 
ated brave, who alone has the requisite patience and unlimited time 
and the pounding ix done upon the flat stone, as shown in the figure. 
The basket serves admirably to prevent the particles from flying away, 
