THE SO-CALLED CALIFORNIA ^^DIGGERSr 



205 



They were usually occupied by a large family, and must have 

 been warm, but close and smoky. In the Sierra Nevada Moun- 

 tains a heavy fall of snow would change them into white pyra- 

 mids. A village of two or three dozen campoodies with blue 

 smoke curling from their tops, and a bright morning sun reflected 



Mat of Tule and Cedar-root Bark, formerly used for Beds, Doors, etc. 



in thousands of sparkling crystals in the snow about them, made a 

 scene which I have heard many old settlers speak of as beautiful. 



Through the summer the Indians prepared their winters store, 

 which consisted mainly of dried acorns, used in place of flour or 

 meal ; berries, grasshoppers, grass seeds, fish, nuts, meats, and roots 

 of various kinds. The camass {Camassa escuJenta) was the prin- 

 cipal root ; it grew in abundance all over California, and is still 

 plentiful in many valleys in the northern part of the State. It is 

 about the size of the little finger, shaped like a sweet potato, and 

 with much of the same flavor. A long, hard winter would cause 

 these Indians to sufi:"er more or less from privation. While in 

 conversation with an old Indian he said : " Long time ago, 'fore 

 white man come, big winter come, Indian no have enough to eat, 

 lots of Indians die ; my mahala, my little boy die." 



Mortars, baskets, and flat rocks were their principal utensils 

 for cooking. The mortars were made from rocks of various sizes, 

 generally somewhat rounded but never uniform. The deep round 

 hole in the center was ground with sharp, rough rocks. It was a 

 slow process and required patience, for it took many days of work 

 to complete one large mortar. These mortars were not only used 

 for cooking but also for grinding food, when a round stone pestle 

 would be required. No household was complete without the large, 

 flat rock, which was generally stationary, and contained a half 

 dozen or more round holes, varying in depth and diameter, used 

 exclusively for grinding, and often surrounded by busy groups of 

 mahalas. 



